Tisberry Goes Year-Round in Vineyard Haven

More than three years after it opened as the Vineyard's first and only frozen yogurt and smoothies shop, Tisberry in Vineyard Haven is again breaking new ground as the Island's only year-round purveyor of cold treats.

Shop owners Eric and Leslie Johnson are also warming up the menu with coffee, soups and chopped salads made with organic greens.

Soup offerings so far have included chicken noodle, vegan pasta fagioli and gluten-free Portuguese kale. The shop rotates flavors a couple of times a week.

Patch sat down with Eric Johnson for a few minutes after closing time, 4 p.m., the week before Christmas to talk about the business.

Patch: When did you open Tisberry?
Eric Johnson: In June, 2010. 

Patch: What did you do before going into the frozen yogurt business?
Johnson: I was a performer and a teacher [Berklee College of Music and private guitar students] and a full-time musician [he still teaches, and performs twice weekly at Offshore Ale Co. in Oak Bluffs].

Patch: When you decided to open a business, how did you prepare to enter the frozen yogurt market?
Johnson: I went up to Boston and tried BerryLine and instantly fell in love with it. I just thought it was fantastic. And so we came back and found this space and without any knowledge of the food business whatsoever, or frozen yogurt, we managed to put it together in about three months.

Patch: Did you take a course?
Johnson: No, it was all really just observing and asking questions. We just learned on the fly.

Patch: Was it hard to get established?
Johnson: It wasn't that difficult. To be honest, the product is so good. The smoothies, all the toppings: Who wouldn't like it? Plus it has the healthier aspect than ice cream, it's not as filling. It was a pretty easy sell.

Patch: Who are your customers? 
Johnson: Females more than males, for frozen yogurt, definitely; but it's from little kids to senior citizens: It's very wide-ranging.

Patch: What's behind the decision to stay open year-round?
Johnson: Money.

Patch: You think you'll make money in the winter?
Johnson: We don't know yet. We may lose money doing this. We have the space, and soup and salad in terms of infrastructure are something we can do without too much difficulty. And I think there's a need, in the town.

Patch: How do you develop your menus?
Johnson: I really can't imagine selling something that I don't enjoy myself: That's what I go by. I love organic salads and really good soups and coffee.

Patch: What's this Yo Cone you introduced at Thanksgiving?
Johnson: It's kind of a gourmet version of a Nutty Buddy, but with frozen yogurt. It's also something people can buy and keep in the freezer at home.

Patch: You opened in Falmouth in July, 2013 and closed in the fall. When will that store reopen?
Johnson: Probably in the beginning of May or late April.

Do you have an Island business we should spotlight in our Business Monday series? Tell us in the comments.