Yogurt fans of all ages were captivated by the topping bar stocked with traditional and exotic topping favorites including fresh fruits, chocolates, cookies, bursting bobo, nuts and gourmet sauces. Forum Newsgroup photo by Patricia Adams.
What do you get when you combine an outstanding product, a beautiful store and a great location? If you happen to be in Howard Beach you can answer that question with a visit to Twist It Top It–and if you’re not in Howard Beach, maybe you should take a ride.
The sleek new yogurt emporium opened this week to high praise from the locals after kicking off with more than 300 family members and friends on Tuesday night at a Champagne and Yogurt Tasting event.
Cross Bay Boulevard was crowded with well-wishers invited to sample the more than twenty flavors of premium yogurt offered then dressed in three dozen toppings—adding to the crowd were curious passersby, all readily included in the opening celebration. “Come on in and try it,” said owner Angelo Gurino, “and have some champagne.” Gurino is no stranger to the Howard Beach business community: he has been at the helm of Ragtime Gourmet Deli for the last 30 years.
The new venture is a partnership with friend Joe Russo Jr. who owns Ragtime Newsstand. The pair decided to take a shot and mark the advent of introducing quality yogurt to Queens. “The trend in yogurt is not just a fad,” stated Gurino, “And it’s not just about dessert. It’s about a healthier choice without compromising the taste.”
And business trends support those opinions, citing yogurt as “ a proven substitute “ for much fattier, calorie-ridden ice cream confections, and in addition to that, statistics in the industry and economic indicators show dessert as one of the few coveted retail items that can more than survive in a down-turned economy and prosper in a recovering one.
But the rule doesn’t just apply to desserts. Both Gurino and Russo say the surge in openings and upcoming openings on the boulevard clearly demonstrate hope for a turn in the tide in Howard Beach. “Things are starting to open up a little bit,” says Russo with a smile. “It’s great to see all these businesses opening. Obviously we all have a lot of faith in the Howard Beach community—and with good reason.”
In line to follow Twist It Top It to Cross Bay are the new Bagel Café set to open on Cross Bay Boulevard at 163rd Avenue, the much anticipated return of Sapienza, which is undergoing construction and set to open in a few weeks in the plaza between 164th and 165th avenues, and a stepped-up Subway near 161st Avenue.
Other recent openings on the boulevard include Edible Arrangements and Danny’s Szechuan.
Before now, those yogurt purists seeking only the “real thing” had to take a substantial trip to satisfy their yog“urges”—out to Nassau County to visit Red Mango or the journey into Manhattan to Pinkberry—home of the reinvented yogurt boom since 2005.
The opening of the Howard Beach enterprise offers Queens residents an opportunity to enjoy the good stuff without driving on a parkway, crossing a bridge or paying a toll.
Twist It Top It features more than twenty flavors beginning with the traditional no fat vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, pistachio, cappuccino and ending with the more exotic pomegranate tart, Dulce de Leche, coconut and mango sorbet. Devotees will thrill in the pristine topping bar that includes all of the standard favorites: shredded coconut, seven different nuts, sprinkles, cookie dough, gummies, cookie pieces, crushed chocolates galore, rainbow cookies, fresh strawberries, blueberries, mango, kiwi and a host of others. You can top it all off in the sauce of your choice highlighted by Ghirardelli Chocolate and caramel.
The store sports an all glass seamless storefront and a beautifully styled, elegant interior highlighted by glass tiling, pendant fixtures and banquette table seating for about 25 in a lounge style space. A sleek topping bar is covered in red gloss granite overlooked by trendy orange soffits and inset lighting.
Twist It Top It is at 158-18 A Cross Bay Blvd. and is open 7 days a week. Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. You can reach the store at 718.323.Twist.
By Patricia Adams
