Around the Creek: Downtown Fro-Yo Wars Heat Up Some More

Just in time for spring and warmer weather comes yet another frozen yogurt shop in downtown Walnut Creek. Yogurtland is the new tenant in Centre Place on South California Boulevard, two doors down from The Habit Burger.

Like Coco Swirl, a couple blocks away near the Century 14 Downtown Walnut Creek movie theater, Yogurtland uses the self-serve concept. That is, cup in hand, you pump the yogurt from dispensers and add the toppings.  

Anaheim-based Yogurtland offers a variety of flavors, with such enticing names as peanut butter cup, Madagascar vanilla and chocolate coconut truffle. The shop, which also has a location in Pleasant Hill, says it uses premium quality ingredients in its yogurt and toppings, with a mission of bringing people together "for the most flavorful, natural and fun frozen yogurt experience while promoting a healthful lifestyle." 

Yogurtland hopes to give Coco Swirl, as well as  and  which each serve from behind the counter, a run for their money. 

Yogurt Park attracts the Broadway Plaza set. Yogurt Castle is easy to spot in its turreted brick building at the corner of North California Boulevard and Bonanza Street. 

Then there's Blush, which opened in early May in the strip mall next door to Whole Foods on Newell Avenue. Of all the yogurt shops in town, Blush may lay claim to the healthiest frozen yogurt. The chain emphasizes organic, all-natural ingredients and features just four yogurt flavors—two of which rotate—and three dozen toppings.  The "original" is a plain yogurt with a hint of tartness that tastes wonderful with dark chocolate chips. 

The downtown fro-yo wars did count a casualty. Just as Walnut Creek was reporting on the suburban frozen yogurt explosion, Red Mango in Plaza Escuela suddenly shut its doors. Red Mango opened with great fanfare and Blush-like claims on super healthy yogurt. The owner of the franchise was Yul Kwon, the affable winner of the 2006 season of TV's Survivor. Kwon grew up in Walnut Creek. 

Renovations are taking place inside the Yogurtland space facing South California Boulevard, but no word yet on when it will open.  Yogurtland's signature purple and green sign already hangs above the storefront. I've sent an e-mail to Hall Equities Group, which owns Centre Place, to ask when the shop will open. 

What's your favorite frozen yogurt shop? Can you have too many frozen yogurt shops?