Sad Shutter: What Happened To Yogurt Castle?

Triple Canopy January 18, 2013 at 12:42 am

Climate change killed the business. It's going to be a medical marijuana dispensary. We should be excited that the valuable medicine will be locally available!!

PH Fan January 18, 2013 at 03:37 am

Such a bummer...used to be a go-to spot...I have always loved the brick work.

chris bybee January 18, 2013 at 12:12 pm

I hate that they are closed...I bet another Starbucks will go there....We need that

Lance Howland (Editor) January 18, 2013 at 12:18 pm

Ditto on the brick work. Is there a name for that style of brick work, escaping the box of right angles and parallel lines?

David Mills (Editor) January 18, 2013 at 12:32 pm

When the movie theater was across the street, we used to go there for yogurt after watching a film

The Merry One January 18, 2013 at 01:34 pm

@Lance, I remember reading about a local architect/builder from the early WC days that created this type of brick architecture, built several buildings/homes here and throughout the country. I can't remember his name, but believe members of his family still live in the area. YC was such a nice place to take the kids for ice cream on a hot day. Thanks for the memories.

Dive Turn Work January 18, 2013 at 01:43 pm

Or maybe a Wal-Mart.

Ari Soglin (Editor) January 18, 2013 at 02:17 pm

I used to take my kids here when we were in Walnut Creek. Some of the best frozen yogurt in the East Bay.
Wasn't there a connection between this place and Yogurt Park over in Broadway Plaza? Did Yogurt Castle ever go by the name "Yogurt Park"? Or am I totally off on that?

Steve Curtis January 18, 2013 at 03:06 pm

I believe the architect for the Yogurt Shop was Michael Fejes. The builder was Doug Allinger, who did several buildings for Pete Stark when he owned Security National Bank ... these included two bank branches in Walnut Creek, on Main St (now greatly expanded by J Rockcliff) and on Citrus Circle and Oak Grove (now vacant, but the former home of Hosking Realtors). Mr Allinger also built Pete Stark's home on Crest Estates Circle on the Alamo border and two homes on Canyon in Lafayette. His own home, which was a never completed remodel, sold last year in Lafayette.
Allinger's brick building heritage was started by I believe an uncle back in the 1930's - 1950's and included the "Castle" on an estate on Danville Blvd... the estate property was eventually sold and subdivided and now known as Stonecastle. The estate buildings still exist and the main house sold 6 months ago.

Sue January 18, 2013 at 05:10 pm

You are not off on that, Art. This place was called Yogurt Park for years and it has the BEST yogurt in the East Bay! My go - to place now is YOGURT SHACK in Danville on the corner of Hartz and Diablo - right next to Primo's Pizza.

AJ Buttacavoli January 19, 2013 at 12:31 am

I called the manager at Scott's to see if he knew what happened and he said the yoguart place had been having financial problems for years and it closed simply because there was not enough business.

Julie Laura Rose January 19, 2013 at 02:03 am

I passed there often for the last year and a half, getting off the bus at that corner. It was always empty, pretty much dead, when I looked inside. And the people who worked there or owned it had that cast of... very slow business... awful... killing us. Good they were able to escape, hope they're okay and recovering.

Suzy Inman January 19, 2013 at 02:14 am

Still very sad to see another one leaving us..

Dive Turn Work January 20, 2013 at 11:45 am

I once bought yogurt there. We ate it. It was good. That's my exciting story. What? It's yogurt for Christ's sake.

Dive Turn Work January 20, 2013 at 11:47 am

That's why most places close. Plus, it wasn't in the most convenient of locations for the demographic or times that generate frozen yogurt sales.

Kitty O'Neil January 21, 2013 at 03:25 am

I went there when I could find a parking place. It wasn't easy and sometimes I just circled the block and left.

Pete Johnson January 22, 2013 at 04:20 pm

Thanks, Steve Curtis, for the history. Its something I always wondered about. We stopped there over the years even after the Festival closed. Maybe Scotts will buy it since it fits their courtyard architecture and retain the design.

3rd generation in the WC January 24, 2013 at 11:15 pm

The brick is done in the style of Carr Jones. I too have heard a relative continued his brick styles, but they originated on Carr Jones projects This building is not an original Carr Jones, but is still an architectural gem. Wish Walnut Creek had done a better job of honoring its architectural past over the years.