Yogurt lovers catching the 'Wave' at Lakeport Commons

So customers are finding a lot to like at the Oklahoma-based franchise's first Iowa site.

"It's doing wonderful." said manager Hemlata Gupta. "We have gotten tremendous response from our Sioux City people, and they have been really encouraging and always coming back."

At any given time, there are 14 rotating flavors of yogurt available at the self-serve sweet shop that opened Nov. 1, 2011. The flavors range from vanilla to strawberry, cheesecake and peanut butter. Some 42 toppings also stand at the ready, ranging from fresh fruit to chocolate candy to nuts and cereal. The sauces that top off your treat range from hot fudge to whipped cream.

The combinations available are nearly infinite, Nischal Gor, the franchise licensee, said.

Customers have two cup sizes from which to choose, some of the cups lined with waffle cones.

Customers are asked to follow four quick steps in creating their yogurt dish. They grab a cup and step up to any flavor they wish and dispense as mucha s they would like into a cup. Then they stroll over to the toppings case and spoon out whatever toppings they want. They place their creations on a scale, then pay for them.

Gor said he is fond of the popping Boba toppings, exploding fruit juice capsules that pop in your mouth and are exclusive to Peachtree. Gupta likes the Bobas and the cookie dough but prefers fresh fruits to the candies. "Ladies love the fresh fruits," she said. "Kids love the candies. It's very different things for everyone."

Gor of Sioux City was looking for some business opportunities in Oklahoma City a couple of years ago when he stumbled upon a Peachwave there. "And it was awesome," he said. "So it's here now."

Nationwide, the franchise boasts 34 Peachtree establishments, with more on the way.

Gor opened his first Peachtree in Sioux Falls last June, then found what he considered the perfect location for his Sioux City shop at Lakeport Commons.

"I think this is the main heart of the city now," he said, noting the abundance of restaurants, such as Buffalo Wild Wings next door, and other shops in the area. "Everything is right here and it's developing. I think there's a lot more potential out here for more complementary businesses."

Opening at Christmas time, they anticipated a good initial response, and the reaction from the public surpassed expectations, Gupta said.

The Sioux City shop is even doing better than the one in Sioux Falls, Gor noted. And he is considering several locations in Siouxland for a third franchise.

Too many people are skeptical of new things, he said. "But I think people have accepted this concept very warmly and they're happy to come here again," he added.

The fact that yogurt has gotten so much attention as being a healthier choice has helped, he said. And with the abundance of fruit and other healthy toppings, he has noticed that a lot of their lunchtime regulars are folks who work at Lakeport Commons and substitute yogurt for the more traditional lunches.

"For them, it is a better option because it digests much better," Gor said. "And we have some low-fat, non-fat, sugar-free flavors, too."

Gor figures he has roughly 1,000 regular customers now.

Repeat customers who accumulate $20 in purchases earn a $2 credit for their next purchase, their phone number serving as each customer's account,

Customers are charged 45 cents per ounce for their creations, some dishes costing as little as $1. An average cup weighs 12-15 ounces, costing just over $5.

"The biggest bowl that I remember was about 29 ounces," Gor said. It was one of the bigger bowls, filled to overflowing by woman who is a regular, weekly customer.