Menchie’s celebrates bringing 10 years of smiles to Canton Township
Menchie’s employee Madison Tyra makes sure the selection of toppings is stocked.
The aroma of deliciousness (courtesy of Menchie’s waffle cones) hits you first, followed by the sight of colorful bliss — from the eye-pleasing wall coverings to the Skittles and M&M toppings.
Soft, happy music piped through the business’s speaker system and the warm smiles worn by the staff of employees provide the perfect toppings to send your endorphins into overdrive … before you’ve even devoured one ounce of Menchie’s main attraction: the self-serve frozen yogurt that is way better for you than ice cream.
Considering the joy the business infuses into its customers, it’s no surprise Menchie’s is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month at its location at 6427 N. Canton Center Road.
10 years later
Joyce Barszcz, who owns Menchie’s with husband Mike, still remembers the grand opening day in November of 2012 like it was yesterday.
“In all my nervousness leading up to the grand opening, I remember thinking, ‘I hope people come’,” she said, smiling.
As it turned out, she shouldn’t have been concerned.
“The very first day we were open, there was a line out the door,” Barszcz said. “Members of the community greeted us with open arms, our family came from miles away to support us.
“Ten years later, they’re still coming, and we couldn’t be more thankful.”
Menchie’s existence near the intersection of Canton Center and Hanford roads can be traced to a trip to California the Barszcz family took in 2010.
“We visited a frozen yogurt shop that was self serve,” Barszcz reflected. “I fell in love with that idea, so when we returned to Michigan we did some research.
“When I visited the Menchie’s website, I saw all their sweet little friends characters and that resonated with me. It had a family-friendly atmosphere, lots of bright colors and the self-service format was amazing.”
Craving entrepreneurship
Barszcz, who had earned a business degree from Wayne State University, had always yearned to own a business following years as a project manager, community liaison and office manager.
The Barszczes applied for a franchise, were accepted and attended Menchie’s University for 16 days leading up to the grand opening.
Ten years later, they’re loving the decision to open what, at the time, was the second Menchie’s in Michigan.
“I love the happy environment,” she said. “Families come here to celebrate — everything from a child losing his or her first tooth to a team celebrating a big win. It’s a good feeling to be a part of people’s milestones.”
Barszcz said Menchie’s’ introduction of frozen yogurt cakes in 2016 expanded the businesses’ joy-spreading capabilities.
“Now we can be part of special occasions at our customers’ homes,” she said. “Whether it’s birthdays, baptisms, engagements, gender-reveal parties — our cakes can enhance the celebration.”
Healthy treat
Frozen yogurt is actually a healthy treat, packed with probiotics that enhance immunity and digestion, Barszcz noted.
The frozen yogurt flavors rotate periodically, sometimes based on the season. For instance, October featured a harvest pumpkin flavor.
Barszcz didn’t hesitate a second when asked what flavor topped her customers’ all-time favorite list.
“That would be cake batter,” she revealed. “A few years ago, we took it out of the lineup for a while and some good-natured chaos ensued after that (she chuckled). So we’ll never do that again if we can help it. As long as there aren’t any supply-chain issues, cake batter will be here.”
Barszcz said she and her husband had the option of where to locate the shop.
“At first we were looking along Ford Road,” she said. “But we love this spot because it’s in the heart of the community and it’s neighborhood-y. It’s close to schools and kids can ride their bikes to our place.”
Thanks to the Barszczes’ labor of love, Menchie’s has become entrenched in the Canton community, offering fund-raising programs for non-profits and partnering with local organizations.
“Menchie’s’ mission statement is: ‘We Make You Smile’, so that’s been our goal since day 1 — to make sure everyone who walks in that door leaves happy,” she said.
Mission accomplished.
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