by RENEE PATRICK Cascade Business News Feature Writer
I remember going to the local yogurt shop in high school and watching my one ounce of gummy bears tossed on top of the vanilla yogurt I had ordered and really wanting to fill the cup full with a little bit of everything. Instead I ate my portion of gummy bears and thought a friend should get a job at the store so I could toss as much of whatever I wanted on my yogurt. Those days are over. The popularity of self serve frozen yogurt has taken off, and we welcome an age where the consumer has total control over their toppings, flavors and quantities.
So Central Oregon yogurt lovers welcome newcomer, Yo Wild, to Redmond.
The Scheidler family opened Yo Wild on 915 SW Rimrock Way in Redmond on January 15. The husband, wife and father team saw the popularity of self serve yogurt in markets like Portland and Los Angeles and believed the opportunity would transition well to Central Oregon.
Josh Scheidler has been vacationing at Black Butte Ranch since he was two years old and wanted a chance to move the family to the area. When Josh and wife Bernice started looking at locations, the Redmond spot was the perfect fit. It is in close proximity to a high school and had strong businesses already established in the shop’s complex. The store has five yogurt machines able to produce up to fifteen different flavor combinations. Toppings range from candy and cookies, to fruit and breakfast cereals for a total of 40 different items, heaven for a topping lover like me.
Josh believes the most challenging part of starting the business was choosing the name and making Bernice’s design ideas into a reality. Bernice comes from a multi-media design background, so had a good design sense and wanted to give the business a unique look. The Scheidler team wanted to make an inviting gathering space, so included a chalkboard and flat screen televisions. The whole package has been designed with franchising in mind and Josh mentions he has already had few interested parties.
The couple comes to Redmond from Portland with their three children and Steve Scheidler, the financial and legal business consultant in the family. Josh and Bernice met in South Africa while Josh was there to help a cousin start a church. The two met at the church and after they were married, Josh began working for Steve in his construction company. Josh’s roots were in Portland and eventually the family moved to Oregon.
Josh attributes the success of the business to the fact they are a family operation. Because they had a strong and healthy relationship prior to opening Yo Wild, the transition to business partners has been smooth and the different strengths of the three have worked out well to complement each other.
Yo Wild, 915 SW Rimrock Way, Redmond, 503-754-2198, www.yowild.com.
