Jacob Billingsley found his thrill with his blueberryfrog franchise and his new Gringo’s restaurant
It was a hit in the 1980s, as an ice cream alternative, and these days, frozen yogurt is enjoying a roaring comeback. Upstate businessman Jacob Billingsley was on the cusp of the resurgence with blueberryfrog, a yogurt shop on Greenville’s Main Street that serves a tangy, organic version of the sweet treat. Now Billingsley has five blueberryfrog locations in the Upstate and recently opened a new restaurant, Gringo’s, just around the corner from the original blueberryfrog.
How did you get into the yogurt business?
I grew up in West Texas and went to school to be an actor in Southern California. I did a handful of TV shows and film and taught film acting, but I got tired of Southern California and that industry. I moved to Atlanta and worked in restaurants, also had a desk job during the day. I saved up a bit and decided I was tired of working for someone else. I was looking at a few things and I had picked up on a new way of doing frozen yogurt out West.
Why frozen yogurt?
It’s a lot simpler than opening a full restaurant and I decided to go with that. I modeled a lot of it after In-N-Out Burger in the simplicity of it all and using fresh ingredients. Just having a few products that are great rather than just throwing everything out there for the masses. We just wanted to focus on what we did and doing it great all of the time.
How did blueberryfrog develop into a franchise?
In 2008, I opened that first store in downtown Greenville and it took awhile. That first winter I ate a lot of yogurt because I couldn’t afford to eat anything else. I spent a lot of time in that store because I only had one staff member. I never really thought of franchising, I just wanted to keep things great, but people began to ask if it was a franchise.
It was the first yogurt shop of its kind in South Carolina. Then the yogurt industry got really competitive really quickly and I had a number of people who were interested. I opened my first franchise in March 2010 in Simpsonville. The day before that store opened, a couple came in and wanted a store, as well. I don’t really advertise it, but I get about one request every week.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
Rely on your staff; they have better ideas than I do a lot of the time. One of my employees who has been with me since the beginning has helped to build the system as much as I have. Another is that the franchise investment is bigger than you think, even for yogurt.
Any mentors along the way?
I was fortunate enough to have my store right next to Pomegranate, which is owned by Ali Saifi, who owns 390 Subway restaurants. He is a wealth of knowledge and one of the most generous people I’ve ever met. So when it came time to franchise, I talked to him.
What’s your favorite part of blueberryfrog?
I’ve had a hand in building most of the stores and I really enjoy that process. Also, working with the franchisees. Seeing their success is great.
Is there an ambience you try to create in blueberryfrog?
I designed most of the décor for the stores. I want it fresh and clean-feeling. None of the stores are the same, but they carry roughly the same elements. A really laid-back vibe is what we’re going for. We know you aren’t going to be sitting there for hours – it’s only a cup of yogurt. We want it to be a bit of an escape. For example, in Easley, an escape from the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Any plans for expansion?
I kind of just play it by ear and I try not to push things. I see a lot of other yogurt shops that get a lot of money from investors, open about 100 in a year and then within a year close about 40. That’s not how I like to operate, but I try to keep the quality the same – and I’m only one guy. I never really envisioned that (type of expansion) for blueberryfrog. If it grows, great, I just want it to grow right.
What about the name?
I knew some guys who did marketing for Mercedes Benz and told them I wanted something fresh and whimsical. In one night, we probably went over 100 names and landed on strawberryfrog, one word. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I found there was another company with the same name, so I just changed the fruit on it.
