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HAMILTON: Let’s Yo! frozen yogurt store opens

Township residents seeking a delicious and healthy alternative to other sugary sweets can now patronize Let’s Yo!, which celebrated its grand opening Nov. 16.

by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
HAMILTON – Township residents seeking a delicious and healthy alternative to other sugary sweets can now patronize Let’s Yo!, which celebrated its grand opening Nov. 16.
   The store, located in Hamilton Plaza on Route 33, formally opened Oct. 28, said owner Anthony Galetti, of Jackson, who said the initial response from Hamiltonians has been good despite little advertising.
   ”We’ve had a very good response,” said Mr. Galetti, who noted the store’s proximity to restaurants and others stores on the Route 33 corridor. “People are really excited.”
   While he acknowledged Let’s Yo!’s unique business model was new to him, his family’s been in the business of franchising for 17 years.
   The business is unique in two ways, he explained. First is the embracing of social media, one of the large LCD TVs in the store features Let’s Yo!’s Facebook page.
   ”We combine a social media aspect to the yogurt experience,” he said. “We’re very socially connected. A person can come in, like us on Facebook and see what’s going on. We put our daily flavors on (Facebook) or if we have a deal.”
   They are looking to get into Twitter and Instagram as well, he said, adding customers can post images of their confectionery creations.
   This leads into the second unique aspect of the Let’s Yo! – the ability for customers to make desserts uniquely catered to their individual tastes.
   The store features over 20 daily flavors of yogurt as well as toppings that range from the more protoypical nuts, fruits and other treats to cereals and granola.
   ”The systems is all self serve. I personally put a little more employee involvement in it than is necessary,” he said, noting his employees still have an important role to play. “I believe that my employees should greet you at the door and then we make sure that everyone gets to try any flavor they want even if they want to try all of them.
   ”I don’t believe in anybody paying for something they haven’t tried,” he added. “You don’t go into a car dealer and buy a car you haven’t test drove. I think people in general feel reserved about trying things. They feel like that they’re almost bothering you when they want to sample stuff.”
   Yogurt is paid by weight, further enhancing a customer’s ability to custom make their desserts.
   ”You can make something that’s only a couple of dollars, or you can get really up there so I want to make sure you know what you’re buying, what you’re getting yourself into,” he said.
   The control also allows customers to determine the amount of calories their yogurt has.
   ”It’s definitely a healthier alternative to regular ice cream,” he said.
   He also notes he hopes the store can be community-based in future by hosting fundraisers where a percentage of proceeds in a given day would be returned to local charities.
   At the grand opening, Tara Sottong and her family, who live “right around the corner,” decided to check out Let’s Yo! during errands.
   Noting they had never been to one before, Ms. Sottong said she likes how she and her daughters could design their own delicious treats.
   ”It is for her to go through and find things that she likes, try new things,” she said. “She definitely did.”
   For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/letsyoyogurt