The Melbourne cold and rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of punters lining up on Eaton Mall, Oakleigh, for the opening of Vanilla’s new frozen yogurt bar.
This is a Willy Wonka fantasy, not a mere frozen yogurt bar. Customers could choose a pastry, cone, or cup, fill it with frozen yogurt, and then load it with anything the heart desires — from the chocolate fountain, an array of crunch and nuts, to even fries.
Stamatia Tsonis (née Spanos) welcomed Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos, the member for Oakleigh, to officially open the new sweet shop.
Tsonis paid homage to her late father, Thanasi Spanos, the man who made Vanilla an institution in Oakleigh’s Greektown. She also thanked her mother and siblings for “the courage, resilience and strength.”
She went on to thank all those who attended, saying: “Vanilla is owned by all of us, you and us – it belongs to all of us.”
“I am relieved and happy we have made it; it was all worth it,” Tsonis told Neos Kosmos.
Minister Dimopoulos called Vanilla “an institution in Oakleigh” before cutting the ribbon to the new yogurt bar, which saw crowds rush inside.
He filled his yogurt first and was surprised by the inclusion of “fries to dip in the sweet yoghurt.”
“As good as I have seen anywhere in the world,” he told Neos Kosmos
“This is ingenious, and they will do well. I call on all to come to Vanilla and try this, it’s amazing.”
The minister quickly focused on enjoying his baroque-looking frozen yogurt as the line of eager Vanilla regulars seemed endless.
Juliet and Mia, waiting in line, also talked to Neos Kosmos.
“Simple, we love Vanilla and are here to support the family,” said Juliet.
“This is ingenious, and they will do well. I call on all to come to Vanilla and try this, it’s amazing.” Minister Dimopoulos
“We are regulars of Vanilla, and they are amazing,” said Mia.
Voula, also in line, said, “We love the Vanilla family, my two daughters worked there while studying at uni. We love them, we love the whole family.”
Equally enthusiastic was Mat, who, like all the others, braved the chill and rain.
“I’m from Oakleigh and love Vanilla.
They have been around for over 20 years, and I always go to Vanilla and now have to see what this is all about.”
And cold on a wet Melbourne day, Vanilla warmed the hearts of locals and made clear how it garnered the honour of “institution” in Oakleigh’s Greektown.
