After trying Hey Yogurt for the first time last year, Kelly Park decided to open one of her own in Syosset on 47 Jackson Ave. The shop, located across from the Syosset train station, specializes in an array of gut-healthy smoothies, but also offers desserts, like cheesecakes and pies.
Park said she first heard about the franchise from her friend last year.
“Early last year, one of my best friends who lives in New Jersey told me about a new franchise in her neighborhood called Hey Yogurt. She said it was incredibly delicious and super popular,” Park said.
When Park was in New Jersey with her children, visiting her friend in the area, the three of them decided to try it for themselves.
“The drinks were so fresh, flavorful and unlike anything we had tasted before,” she said.
After her first taste of Hey Yogurt, she kept hearing about the franchise, from finding YouTube channels talking about it to seeing locations pop up nearby.
“That’s when I started to seriously think, ‘Maybe I should try this,’” she said.
Park had previous business experience, having co-owned a local nail salon for the past 10 years. She decided to take the leap and open a Syosset location of Hey Yogurt.
Park said the business specializes in smoothies and offers a unique twist on the drink. Using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, creamy yogurt, and added probiotics, Park said the taste and texture are one-of-a-kind. She said the fruit gives the drink a “refreshing” taste that isn’t too sweet.
“It truly feels clean and healthy,” she said.
Park said her personal favorites on the menu are the mango-strawberry yogurt smoothie and the matcha flavor and that her sons enjoy the Oreo smoothie.
So far, Park said that customer favorites include the passion fruit and dragon fruit smoothies, which are not common flavors at many other smoothie chains.
“People should come try our smoothies because they’re truly different from anything else out there,” she said.
While the company specializes in smoothies, there’s more on the menu than that.
Park said there are cheesecakes, Boston pies, and ” coffles,” which are a mix of a croissant and a waffle.
The growing franchise has expanded to seven states, with locations in New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania with locations in California and Massachusetts coming soon, according to its website.
The Syosset location is the second on Long Island. The first was in Great Neck Plaza. A third location is open in Flushing.
Park said that between its smoothies, matchas and desserts, the franchise “offers something special that you won’t find anywhere else.”
The Syosset location is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9 p.m.
