By Kim Brauning
I scream, you scream, Utahns scream for ice cream!
People followed the moving spotlights and withstood large crowds of customers to attend the grand opening of Cold Stone Creamery located at University Mall in Orem, Utah, on March 23.
The new creamery at the University Mall is one of over 300 franchises in 25 states nationwide.
Kamille Thorne, advertising coordinator of Cold Stone Creameries in Utah County, said that Cold Stone was recently named 'Utah County''s Best Ice Cream' by the Daily Herald.
The Arizona-based company has recognized the University Ave. location in Provo, Utah, as one of the three busiest locations in the country, Thorne said.
According to Jeff Leavitt, part-owner of Cold Stone, the store in Orem, Utah, was opened to accommodate the large crowds of people.
'Our biggest nightmare is to have it so crowded that people who don''t want to wait in line leave,' Leavitt said.
'We want to be able to serve everyone more efficiently,' Leavitt said. 'The Provo store was overtaken by college kids and we hope that with another location we can make everyone more happy.'
Leavitt said it is the product itself and the uniqueness in the way it is presented that makes Cold Stone so popular.
'It''s made fresh daily and it''s all gourmet,' Leavitt said. 'There''s a uniqueness in the way we present it and that makes all the difference.'
Darin Cahoon, part-owner and manager, said what keeps customers coming back is the variety of flavors.
'We call it a ''google of flavors'',' Cahoon said. 'At Cold Stone the key is to mix and match. Customers never get sick of it because they create their own flavor each time.'
Kris Stout, 24, from Tempe, Arizona, majoring in media arts, attended the grand opening and was impressed with the customer service.
'Cold Stone''s customer service is excellent. They are very serviceable and friendly,' Stout said. 'Every time I go in, it''s really busy but the workers are still smiling.'
According to Leavitt, dealing with customers on a one-to-one basis is enjoyable.
'Cold Stone lets you deal with customers on a one-to-one basis,' Leavitt said. 'It makes it more enjoyable because everyone is different and you get different customers each day.'
Leavitt and Cahoon said they are excited by the success of Cold Stone in Utah and expect to see a lot of growth for the company in the future.