Red Mango Serves More Than 700 for Free

Several hours and 700 cups of frozen yogurt later, Marisol Balbarin breathed a sigh of relief.

The business owner opened her first Red Mango store Sept. 16 and survived its grand opening this past weekend. She chose Lincoln Park —it's at 844 W. Armitage Ave., to be exact—for its relaxing atmosphere, she said, noting that her husband's roots are in the area. When she hosted her grand opening Sept. 28, a line of people started forming an hour beforehand.

"I was nervous, of course," she said. "But it was great. We gave away 100 shirts, 200 water bottles and around 70 gift cards. … Hopefully they come back. It's a good product and a good brand."

The Texas-based smoothie and frozen yogurt chain features more than 50 flavors combinations and tons of toppings to choose from. The yogurt even has probiotic benefits, Balbarin said.

"It's different than other treats because it's actually good for our digestive systems," she said. "You get to take it and make your own creations; whatever you want to eat. We have fresh fruits every day and making it self serve let's you create that art, that experience, of choosing the toppings you like."

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Balbarin has a sweet spot for black cherry toppings, she said, but noted that a peanut butter, yogurt and Nutella combination has also won her over. Seasonal options include red velvet and pumpkin spice.

"I hope people like it," she said. "As long as they give it a chance, I'm confident they will."

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