NEW ORLEANS — All three New Orleans-area Pinkberry frozen yogurt locations will close for good in September.
Pinkberry’s local franchise partners — Rob Stumm, Courtney Stumm, Celie Howard, Sibyl Lapeyre and Lon Nichols — said their agreement with Pinkberry expires that month and they don’t plan to extend it. That means the stores at 5601 Magazine Street, 300 Canal Street and 411 N. Carrollton Avenue will all discontinue operations.
“We have enjoyed our time as franchisees with Pinkberry; we have learned a great deal from the experience and established strong connections with our team and guests,” said Courtney Stumm in a statement.
“It helped us tremendously as managers,” said Nichols. “We learned the systems, the culture and the importance of hospitality. It’s been 12 years and it was a good run.”
Worldwide, consumer interest in frozen yogurt has waned, which may have been a factor in the decision.
The International Frozen Yogurt Association, which cited Google Trends data in a 2021 report, said that the treat’s pinnacle of popularity was five years ago. “Since 2017, interest declined gradually in 2018 and 2019 and more dramatically in March and April 2020, when many froyo shops were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic,” said the report’s authors.
Pinkberry launched in 2005 in West Hollywood, Calif. and now claims 260 stores in 20 countries. Kahala Brands, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., purchased Pinkberry in 2015.
The Pinkberry franchise partners said they will now focus on managing and expanding Felipe’s Taqueria, the Mexican restaurant concept that they own outright. The first Felipe’s opened more than 15 years ago on Calhoun Street, and now the owners operate seven locations spread across Louisiana, Florida and Maryland. The restaurants are known for “made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine and hand-squeezed margaritas.”
All current Pinkberry employees are being offered positions with Felipe’s, and Stumm said many plan to make the move.
The Pinkberry locations on Magazine and Canal will most likely be leased out to other businesses, but the N. Carrollton spot will be home to an expanded Felipe’s that will provide additional coffee, breakfast and dessert options.
“We will continue to offer a high-quality menu in a fun, welcoming, family-friendly environment,” said Celie Howard, the N. Carrollton location’s owner.
