If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I would have thought that Denver PR princess Ellen Robinson was blowing smoke on behalf of her client, Pinkberry frozen yogurt, when she tallied roughly 1,100 people who showed up for the pre-opening of Colorado’s first store at 1000 S. Colorado Blvd. on Wednesday night.
That number wasn’t inflated. As I was sitting outside the tiny store interviewing company CEO Ron Graves, he pointed behind me at the line that swelled to more than a block long a half-hour before the 6 p.m. opening, when the company gave away yogurt samples till 10 p.m.
By 8 p.m., that line had to be three blocks long. Graves, who joined the company two-and-a-half years ago, wasn’t surprised.
“It’s a big event for our partner, our team, our customers and us,” said Graves, an Air Force Academy graduate. “Sure, today we’re giving it away for free, but this is also from pent-up demand. A lot of people show up and don’t even know it’s free.”
When I first posted on my Facebook page that Pinkberry was coming to Colorado, it started a storm of testimonials from the converted who waxed poetic about the “craveability” of the frozen concoction.
“There have been so many Hollywood stars shot eating Pinkberry in Us and other celebrity magazines,” said Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based restaurant research company. “It’s a fast-growing, successful company, and everybody’s talking about it.”
The Colorado market will grow through Scott Adams, the Denver-based franchisee who holds the rights to build Pinkberry stores in our state. The second store will open in mid-July on the 16th Street Mall at Glenarm.
Mitt’s message.
Former Massachusetts Gov. and presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered the keynote speech to 1,000 attendees Thursday during the Alliance for Choice in Education 10th anniversary luncheon at the Denver Marriott City Center.
He hammered home the importance of providing every child with a quality education, which in turn will keep our nation strong and competitive in today’s economy.
“I’m often asked, what’s tougher, politics or business?” said Romney, author of the new book “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness.” “In business if your company sinks, people lose jobs. In government, if politicians make a mistake, they blame the opposition party or raise taxes.”
Fuzzy was he?
Pro golfer Fuzzy Zoeller
, in town for the Senior PGA Championship at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, not only named his namesake spirit Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, the name also applies to how you’ll feel if you overindulge.
Zoeller’s vodka, made in Bend, Ore., is being distributed in about 20 states, including Colorado. The golfer signed bottles during an event at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, down the road a piece, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse had a handful of PGA players ringing the cash register Wednesday, including Paul Azinger, Bruce Fleisher, Don Pooley, Gary Trivisonno, Tsukasa Watanabe and Loren Roberts. Jeromy Manser, the PGA’s on-site representative, estimates the tournament will generate $18 million to $23 million for the local economy.
Eavesdropping
on a woman shocked that 1,100 people showed up for Pinkberry’s opening: “1,100 people didn’t even show up for the Tea Party demonstration.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
