J-Joe Berrylicious, the first self-serve frozen yogurt store in White Plains that had been at the White Plains Mall at 200 Hamilton Ave. has a new location in the city”™s downtown at 55 Church St.
J-Joe Berrylicious, which sells foods and beverages in addition to frozen yogurt, had been at the White Plains Mall since 2011 until the impending mall redevelopment motivated shopkeepers to relocate.
The redevelopment project known as Hamilton Green had received site plan approvals from the city, which expired when the redevelopment had not been started and the developer did not apply for an extension.
In April last year, a new application from developer WP Mall Realty LLC and SWD 3, LLC (dba Street Works Development) was approved by the Common Council. The mall itself is largely empty, with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles still maintaining its office.
Last week, Mayor Thomas Roach and the White Plains Business Improvement District celebrated the grand opening of J-Joe Berrylicious with owner Anna Mendez. The store actually started doing business at the new site in January.
Mendez said having to close at the mall was a sad time for her and her staff.
“We had worked so hard to establish this place, but instead of looking at the situation as a failure, we saw it as an opportunity to change and grow while still serving the community,” Mendez said.
Among the food items served in addition to frozen yogurt are fruit juices, shakes, salads, soups, grilled paninis, wraps, personal pizzas and bagels.