Campustown gained a delicious new destination with the grand opening of Sweet Cece’s, a frozen yogurt shop, on Oct. 13.
Junior nursing major Megan Rossell worked the grand opening at the store.
“It was insane,” she said. “It was really exciting to see the turnout on the first day.”
Sweet Cece’s is a self-serve frozen yogurt lounge appealing to anyone with a taste for a sweet and healthy frozen treat. The business has chains across the country including another chain in Peoria Heights at Junction City.
“Kids love it,” Rossell said. “A two year old was having a field day.”
The day before the grand opening, Sweet Cece’s opened for two hours, offering students and community members the chance to try their yogurt for free. More than 250 people waited in a line that stretched around the corner.
The Campustown location is a family-owned business. Managing the day-to-day operations, owner Alyssa Yoder, a Bradley grad, makes sure her family has a successful business and satisfies its customers.
“We’re here for Bradley students and we’re here for the community,” she said. “[Sweet Cece’s] is a fun place to come study and just hang out with friends.”
Once inside, you are greeted with an open area housing yogurt machines, topping dispensers and a cold bar.
“The design and layout is very welcoming and really inviting,” junior German language major Ava Anderson said.
The concept at Sweet Cece’s is simple: create whatever you want.
You can choose from any of the different yogurt flavors Sweet Cece’s has to offer, most of which are fat free. Once you choose a yogurt, you can choose toppings from graham crackers to gummy bears or cereal, there are many options to choose from. There is also a cold bar, which has fruit and other toppings.
You can choose to use as many of the toppings as you want. You simply pay for the weight of your creation in ounces. An ounce costs 49 cents and an average cup would cost about $4.65.
“It’s a great concept,” Yoder said. “It can be a meal on the go; you can have it for breakfast or dessert. It’s what you make it.”
Although many students were questioning the opening of a frozen yogurt shop before the winter, Yoder, along with other employees see the continued success of Sweet Cece’s because it is unique to the surrounding area.
“There isn’t really a place to get good ice cream around Bradley,” Yoder said. “We definitely have a place here because of the demand.”
Senior finance major Dan Wood is excited about Sweet Cece’s new location and believes it is better than similar restaurants.
“You’re allowed to do whatever you want. I like cookies and cream yogurt and fruit,” he said. “There is a better selection than other places.”
