Fort Dodge’s eastside commercial district added a new business early this month that is certain to please anyone who loves desserts.

Sassy Strawberry, 2913 Fifth Ave. S., a dessert emporium that will tempt many Fort Dodgers to indulge a bit, welcomed its first patrons Nov. 6.

Owned by Reed and Ashley Kuper, of Osage, the Fort Dodge outlet is one of four Sassy Strawberry stores the couple has launched since 2013. The other locations are Burlington, Waterloo and Austin, Minnesota.

The Fort Dodge Sassy Strawberry is managed by Emily Farr.

“We have 21 different flavors of frozen yogurt, gelato, custard and Italian ice,” she said. “We have different seasonal yogurts. We also have eight flavors of Ashby’s Premium Hard Ice Cream. We can switch our ice cream flavors anytime we want.”

Empowering the customer to craft a treat that is highly personalized is at the heart of the marketing approach at Sassy Strawberry. The store is well-stocked with products that make that not only possible, but also a diverting experience.

“The yogurt is self-serve,” Farr explained. “You grab a cup and put whatever you like in there. We have over 80 toppings to choose from. You put pretty much anything you want on it. Then, at the end we weigh it and it’s 46 cents an ounce.”

The company’s website stresses that the selections are made with fresh, natural ingredients. Many of the options are gluten-free.

Beverages to accompany dessert are also available and include coffee, pop, Gatorade and water.

Fills a local need

Sassy Strawberry adds to the growing diversity of eating choices along Fifth Avenue South – the city’s Corridor of Commerce.

“Fort Dodge doesn’t really have anything like this,” Farr said. “I really think this store fills a local need. The closest frozen yogurt place is in Ames, 45 minutes away.”

The validity of that assessment was underlined almost from the moment the doors opened at Sassy Strawberry.

“Our opening weekend was awesome,” Farr said. “We had great success.”

She said the store’s Fifth Avenue South venue was selected to be in sync with the community’s economic growth patterns.

“It’s a very good location,” Farr said. “It’s right where all the other things are being built. When people drive into town, this is one of the first things they will see. We think it will be really great.”

Not just yogurt

The dessert choices at Sassy Strawberry are already extensive and will grow in the months ahead.

“We’re not just frozen yogurt,” Farr said. “We strive to be a complete dessert destination. We don’t want to just have yogurt. We want to have the ice cream options, the banana splits. We want to have lots of different things. We will continue to grow. Our plan is to keep going with more desserts, not just ice cream. … There’s definitely more to come.”

One example of the tasty options already available is the nutty bar.

“Homemade nutty bars featuring peanuts are available,” Farr said. “They are frozen. We make them ourselves. We hand-dip them in our chocolate fondue pot and roll them in nuts.”

Meet the manager

“I was born and raised in Fort Dodge,” Farr said.

She graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High in 2011 and subsequently completed two years of study at Iowa Central Community College. Farr currently is working on her bachelor’s degree through an online program from Omaha’s Clarkson College.

She is enthused about being the team leader at the Fort Dodge Sassy Strawberry.

“I like being around people and trying to help them,” Farr said. “This is a good way to make people happy. I love it. It is so much fun.”

About Sassy Strawberry

The store is open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. The staff complement currently numbers 12.

Sassy Strawberry features an array of specials.

“There is a student special Mondays – two ounces off if you show your ID,” she said. “There is a 10 percent discount for active military every day. Wednesday is ‘Weigh it Wednesday.’ If you guess within .2 ounces of your cup, you receive two ounces off. Then Fridays are ‘Family Friday.’ Families of four or more receive 15 percent off of their total purchase.”

The spacious, cheerfully decorated dine-in section can accommodate about 50 customers. Farr said she hopes to have a patio area in operation during the warmer months.

The manager has a message for Fort Dodgers who have yet to visit her store.

“We’re really excited to be in Fort Dodge,” Farr said. “We hope they will all stop in and try it. There is really something for everyone here. Little kids love it. Older people love it just as much.”