Dozens of people crowded outside the new Five Spot Yogurt in Snellville for its opening earlier this summer. Although the fire inspector hadn’t yet checked out the sprinkler system and thus customers weren’t allowed in, there was a steady traffic of employees bringing free frozen yogurt out to customers.
Within the shop was owner David Carswell, a resident of Alpharetta, Ga. Carswell described his history of entrepreneurship. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2006 and ran an AT&T store in Watkinsville with a friend. In 2008, he became a franchisee for Little Caesars and with a business partner owned four stores. The two of them parted company, with David inheriting the Little Caesars in Alpharetta and Duluth. It was after this that he went into the frozen yogurt business. ”I saw a need for a good frozen yogurt shop in Snellville,” he said. He started working on it in September 2010.
David found a location and started working on the design. Jessica Mullis from UGA helped create the logo, while another friend, Nicole Morgan, helped design and furnish the interior. He purchased the equipment and signed the lease. When asked the difference between his shop and the other frozen yogurt shops that have exploded across Metro Atlanta recently, Carswell explained that on Monday through Thursday, the prices are capped at $5.00 regardless of the weight. There are also comfortable leather chairs. ”We offer free WiFi,” he said. David said his yogurt was better-quality than many other yogurt places since it’s liquid-based. ”It’s not grainy like the other ones,” he noted. “It’s very smooth texture.”
A sampling of the chocolate/vanilla swirl provided evidence for his claim. Unlike some frozen yogurts out there, there were no residual solids. Five Spot features 16 flavors and over 40 toppings. Carswell said he hadn’t introduced new flavors yet, but he did intend to provide some later, such as jelly-flavored frozen yogurt to go with the peanut-butter-flavored yogurt already there.
When asked about how he would define a Southerner in the 21st Century, he said that was someone who upholds the traditions and values of their ancestors. “The South means warm weather, family values and friendly neighbors,” he said when asked his thoughts about the region.
Five Spot is located at the far end of the shopping center containing the Borders and Carmike Cinemas. It is next to the Panera Bread.
For more information, please check out Five Spot Yogurt’s website
