You may know it as “froyo,” but the owner of Yogurt Vi, the new frozen-yogurt spot opening in Kent Friday, said that’s not a term he likes to use.

“We try to be different,” owner Michael Lam said. Not froyo, said Lam. “Just Yogurt Vi. Just soft-serve frozen yogurt.”

Lam was approached by Fairmount Properties, owner of the building at 295 S. Water St., about opening Yogurt Vi’s 8th location in the heart of downtown Kent, Lam said.

Lam said he thinks Yogurt Vi will be good for Kent’s local families as well as Kent State students.

“If some kids don’t like the night crowd and going to bars and getting in trouble, they can always come here and hang out,” Lam said.

Unlike the crowded, neon-colored hustle and bustle of most frozen-yogurt places, Lam said Yogurt Vi has a different kind of atmosphere. Granite and marble surfaces, a sparkling overhanging chandelier and lots of room make Yogurt Vi a place more conducive to relaxing, hanging out and studying.

Lam said he thinks Yogurt Vi coming to town will be good for both Kent’s wallets and waistlines. Yogurt Vi’s pay-by-the-ounce buffet style allows customers to choose how much yogurt they want to buy, and the probiotics in frozen yogurt can make it a healthy alternative to other snacks.

According to its website, Yogurt Vi offers more than 60 different toppings and 80 frozen-yogurt flavors “which rotate periodically, ensuring a fresh and ever-changing lineup of favorite flavors.”

Lam said Yogurt Vi’s current planned hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for the weekend.

“But if it is busy late, we may start staying open later,” Lam said.

However, Yogurt Vi’s grand opening will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and will be serving free yogurt to anyone who stops in. “Friday after school, everyone can come here and get free frozen yogurt,” Lam said. “No catch. You come in, I give you a cup, you go get it.”

Kent Economic Director Dan Smith said he hopes the business draws well.

“I anticipate, from the number of people looking in the windows and calling us to ask about what kind of store it is that they’re going to have a really strong opening,” he said. “ … So I’d invite Kent State University students to come down, and I suspect it will relieve some of the stress of the semester.”

Lam said just having a lot of people from the community attend and enjoy Yogurt Vi’s product will make the grand opening a success in his eyes, and he said if he had to suggest one flavor to win the hearts of the community, he’d have to say “sweet coconut.”

Contact Brittany Hill at [email protected].