Garden City Couple Serving Up Yogurt in Stewart Manor

Sour gummy worms. Nerds. Cheesecake. Mini M&Ms. Fresh fruit. These are just some of the 36 toppings to choose from at the new TCBY shop located at 100 Covert Avenue in nearby Stewart Manor.

Owned by longtime Garden City residents Carlos and Helene Jorge, the shop officially opened for business in July and had a grand opening celebration with all the fixings in August.

When Patch stopped by, the Jorges were busy prepping for another day; Carlos was cleaning the yogurt machines while Helene was stocking the toppings bar before the day's rush.

The husband and wife duo are already busy professionals. Carlos works as a sales engineer with Carrier Enterprise, LLC and Helene as the vice president of sales for the visual merchandising and design manufacturer Creative Forces, all while raising their son, Jamie, now a sixth grader at Garden City Middle School.

The idea to open up their own yogurt shop was "born in Portugal," Helene said, while the family was vacationing there last summer. Carlos noticed there weren't many self-serve yogurt shops around. That's when the idea hit him. Upon their return, the Jorges began researching companies. 

"TCBY, hands down, has the best yogurt," Helene said, adding that a patent formula the company uses to make the yogurt creamy is what makes it stand out above the rest. "Other yogurts have to be mixed, which I think often leads to error," she said.

The couple spent two weeks in Utah at a training seminar to learn about the company's "stringent" cleaning and maintenance methods. "Cleanliness is really a very big deal," she said. The shop has six machines, two of which are cleaned and sanitized daily.

The location, formerly the Stewart Manor branch library, was completely revamped - everything from the floors, walls and electrical system. The Jorges also installed air conditioning. "It was a total build-out," Carlos said. "We also added a bathroom for our customers."

And it's the loyal customers and dedicated staff that make this endeavor so rewarding for the new business owners. "We have eleven kids that work with us and they are all friendly, accommodating and smart. I feel like I have twelve kids," Helene said. "Stewart Manor is a charming village with really nice people. Being the new kids on the block, sometimes you really have to prove yourself and that's what we're trying to do."

Though new to the food industry, Helene said the same principles apply cooking all the time as a wife and mom, adding that time management is key.

"We've tried to create an inviting environment," she said. The store has seating throughout, including bench seating in the front of the shop to provide extra room for strollers and backpacks. Fresh flowers and a framed photo of their two-and-a-half year old pup, Bodie, add to the ambiance.

The shop is open seven days a week; Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Jorges are offering a buy one, get one half off sale on all frozen products while supplies last and at this Saturday's Covert Avenue street fair, the Jorges are raffling off a cake.