Introduced in the 1970s, frozen yogurt established itself as a trend as a healthier but fun alternative to ice cream. With Charlottesville already “coated” with a variety of frozen yogurt businesses, it is now Fluvanna’s turn to take the “fro-yo plunge”. “Frost Bites,” a self-serve frozen yogurt and ice cream shop, recently opened in the Food Lion Shopping Center.

Frost Bites owner and manager, Fluvanna resident Rhon Williams, has been working in the foodservice industry for 30 years. “I have done everything from dish washer, delivery driver, cook, manager, regional supervisor and even owner of a franchise pizza place,” said Williams.  After taking some time off to attend seminary, Williams decided to jump back into the challenge of food service.

“I looked at several options such as a sandwich shop and other restaurant-type businesses, but we are already saturated with those. While eating some frozen yogurt in Charlottesville, I noticed that many of the Fluvanna people I know were coming in there also. This made me realize that there is a demand for Fro-Yo but no local supply. Now Fluvanna can stay in Fluvanna for Frozen Yogurt,” said Williams.

Similar to fro-yo spots like Sweet Frog and Bloop, Frost Bites sells yogurt by the ounce. Customers dispense their own yogurt from machines, add toppings like brownie bites, fruit, ect., and then present their creation to the checkout counter for weighing. Prices are 48 cents per ounce, so a ½ of yogurt with no toppings is around $2 (assuming you can resist adding the toppings).  Frost Bites will consistently have flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, cake batter, and peanut butter, while the other flavors will change to create a new experience each week. They also have soda, water, coffee, and a limited variety of ice cream.

How will Frost Bites distinguish itself from other local snack spots, such as Cuppa Joe? “No one else in Fluvanna sells frozen yogurt. Cuppa Joe is a coffee place that also sells some other things, but his main thing is coffee,” said Williams. “Yes, we will sell other stuff, but we are going to be about frozen yogurt first and foremost,” he added.

Frost Bites is located at 264 Turkeysag Trail. They are open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. For more information call 589-4099.