Texarkana summers are brutal, but there’s a new place in town to help us beat the heat. Sweet Swirlz, a frozen yogurt shop that opened last November in Pleasant Grove, is a one-of-a-kind, locally owned business that is quickly becoming a family favorite.

Earlier this week I stopped by to try out the goods. Chris Stine, one of the employees there (and great nephew to best-selling author R.L. Stine of “Goosebumps” fame), welcomed me with a big cheerful smile and tousled blond locks and offered to show me around the shop, which is colorfully decorated in pastel pink and green.

“We’ve got five machines that each have two flavors which can be swirled together,” Chris said. Four of the machines typically maintain the same flavors of Strawberry Sensations, Cheesecake, Orchard Peach, All Natural Classic Tart, Kisses Chocolate, Caramel Custard, Tahitian Vanilla and White Chocolate Mouse.

Sweet Swirlz' effervescent Chris Stine is ever cheerful
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The fifth machine changes flavors weekly and usually features the most unusual flavor combination. This week, the result was Espresso/Cupcake. As strange as that blend sounded, the swirl of rich coffee and chocolate cake made for the perfect bite of cool, frosty refreshment.

Chris was quick to point out that there are tons of toppings available too, and his favorite is apparently the Boba Balls, because he mentioned them frequently. “They’re filled with strawberry juice that bursts in your mouth,” he said with a grin. (Yes, I believe my new buddy Chris is always full of smiles.)

In addition to these flavorful Boba Balls, there are 29 other toppings customers can choose from including berries, nuts, and assorted candies.

Boba Balls give a burst of strawberry flavor
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Located at 3317 Richmond Road, the shop quickly fills with teenagers after school, eager to fill up on their sweet concoctions. Sweet Swirlz makes it easy though. All customers have to do is grab a cup, fill it up with all the yogurt they can handle, pile on the toppings, and then weigh it and pay only 43 cents per ounce. While it sounds amazingly inexpensive, it is a business model that has worked so well the owners are considering opening a second shop in Arkadelphia, according to Chris.

So the next time you’re out on a hot afternoon and need a little cooling off, skip the ice cream and try something tasty and low fat and discover for yourself why Sweet Swirlz is the latest place to make our Good Eats list.

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