This summer Nate & Ally’s opened right here in Winona. What is Nate & Ally’s? It’s none other than a frozen yogurt shop. Since opening on June 15th Nate & Ally’s has been a hit with the Winona locals, visitors, college students, and those who work in the downtown area. Located on 3rd street this little shop specializes in frozen yogurts but also has a variety of ice creams and pies to choose from.
HC (HerCampus Winona): What made you decide to open a frozen yogurt store?
Dennis McEntaffer (owner): We saw our first self-serve frozen yogurt bar in 2012 when we were on vacation. I really liked the concept and for the next two years my wife Carmen and I talked about it but never took it seriously. Carmen eventually said if we’re going to go with this idea then we better do it now before someone else does, so we started looking at places to rent but decided to buy a building and remodel it instead.
HC: Why did you decide to call your store Nate & Ally’s?
DM: It’s a family business so we named it after our kids, Nathaniel (14) and Allison (10).
HC: Besides specializing in frozen yogurt, what else does Nate & Ally’s have to offer?
DM: When researching frozen yogurt stores, we saw that fro-yo sales were declining but other frozen treat sales were increasing, so because of that we wanted to add to our soft serve selection: custard, Italian ice, sorbet, gelati and gelato. We added hard ice cream because there are many people who like classic ice cream more than frozen yogurt. We also offer slices of pie from Stockholm Pie Company from Stockholm, WI. Once the weather starts to get cooler we plan on offering hot chocolate and possibly soup (still researching at this time) for the fall and winter months.
HC: Speaking of the weather changes, do you think that with the seasons/holidays coming up that there will be a change in the ice cream and fro-yo flavors?
DM: We will have some changes in flavors. There will be a sliced apple pie and a pumpkin pie fro-yo option real soon. We will also be changing some of the toppings such as peppermint and cinnamon streusel.
HC: What do you enjoy most about managing and working at the store?
DM: This is a new challenge for my wife and I. I started Sport & Spine Physical Therapy in 2001 and have worked very hard to grow that. Once I saw that it [Sport & Spine] could function well without me being there I was able to pull away from that business and start this new one. The one thing that is fun is trying new ways and coming up with new ideas to get people in the door. That’s fun but challenging.
HC: Our last question is why do you think that Nate & Ally’s has been such a hit in Winona since opening?
DM: We fill a void in Winona of a sit-down, nonalcoholic place to hang out. We think that the environment and the frozen treat options make it popular. We feel that we have an environment that is relaxing and inviting. The self-serve has been around for many years but here in Winona there are many people who have not experienced it. It’s something new for people to enjoy.
Photo Cred: Nate & Ally’s Facebook page
If you haven’t checked out Nate & Ally’s yet, then we highly suggest that you do. Also be sure to check out Nate & Ally’s website to learn more about their fro-yo options as well as the building they’re located in, and like Dennis said, “It’s something new for people to enjoy.”