Dessert shop opens near Syracuse University campus

SYRACUSE — Yeti Frozen Yogurt & Smoothies opened in early June on Westcott Street, near the Syracuse University campus, offering self-serve frozen yogurt, along with a variety of drinks such as smoothies, milkshakes, and teas.

Christopher Norcross, the business owner, says he opened the 1,500-square-foot shop at 558 Westcott St. after seeing a “for lease” sign. He saw a market void near the campus for a frozen yogurt shop following the closing of Yogurtland on Marshall Street in 2015. 

About five employees, who are college and high-school students, currently work at Yeti, while Norcross runs the administrative side of the business. He says he has plans to hire a manager in the fall and will adjust how many people he employs when Syracuse University and Le Moyne College students come back in August.

Yeti’s client base is primarily people who live in the Westcott area, who Norcross says refer to themselves as “Westcott Nation.” He says that when school is back in session in August, he expects even more customers. Norcross notes that the foot traffic along Westcott Street — due to surrounding restaurants, shows, and art exhibits — has helped his business. 

The Westcott location used to be home to the bicycle store Mello Velo, which moved to Canal Street in Syracuse. Norcross wouldn’t disclose how many years his lease covers, but says, “We’ll be there for a while.”

Norcross says he is pleased with the early neighborhood reception of his business, though he says he didn’t have early sales numbers to disclose.

“They’ve really given us a very warm welcome. I can’t tell you how many people have said, ‘This is exactly what we needed on this street. We’ve got so many restaurants and we just needed some dessert,’” Norcross says.

Yeti offers 10 flavors of frozen yogurt, including some non-dairy options, and more than 15 different toppings, including crushed oreos, sprinkles, and fruits. All of the yogurt is in front of the counter for customers to serve themselves, and the cost is based on the weight of the dessert.

Yeti also makes smoothies, teas, coffees, and milkshakes. Those prices are fixed and an employee prepares those drinks when ordered.

Owner’s background

Norcross, who grew up in and currently lives in Camillus, works a full-time job as a sales rep during the week while owning Yeti, which operates from noon to 10 p.m. every day. He says his background in customer service helps him operate a business. He adds that he hopes to have a grand opening sometime in August to celebrate the store, once it’s finished being decorated.

This isn’t Norcross’s first business venture. He used to own an ice-cream parlor with an adjoining bounce house in the Baldwinsville area. Merlins Ice Cream and Bounce House, which opened in 2012, was also a self-serve, pay-by-weight shop which offered a variety of ice creams and yogurts. The back of the shop had a bounce-house area in which children could play. 

Norcross said the business was hurt by competition in the form of Destiny USA’s children’s party and entertainment venues like Billy Beez, WonderWorks, RPM Raceway, and 5 Wits. He later closed the shop. 

In his newest venture, Norcross says his business is going to focus on frozen yogurt and specialty drinks, without a play area.