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For about five years, Dan Anderson and his wife, Jennifer Johnston, batted around her idea of opening a frozen yogurt shop in their home city of Toledo.
But when Johnston passed away in a motorcycle accident on Sept. 23, 2024, the idea sprouted into more than a daydream; it became a symbol to honor her and Anderson’s shared vision, along with her memory.
Jen’s Place Frozen Yogurt is close to opening its doors to the Toledo community, with Anderson and his family teaming up to run the shop located at 401 Cowlitz St., which also houses Haven Healing LLC and Healing Tree Naturopathic Medicine. Anderson, his three children, Layla, Stevie and Charlotte; his nephew, Abel; his niece, Serenity; and Stevie’s best friend, Jodie Atkinson, who Anderson calls his “bonus daughter,” are all helping with the store.
“It’s something to remember Jen by. I miss the hell out of her,” Anderson said. “This will help me remember her passions, her dreams, her wants. This is something she always wanted to do, and this is something that I’m going to be able to do and enjoy with our girls. It’s going to be a family business.”
Anderson is aiming for a soft opening of Aug. 26 and a grand opening Labor Day weekend, although those dates are not set in stone. The shop will offer a place for residents and visitors to enjoy frozen yogurt without having to travel up to Centralia or down to Longview, where the nearest shops are located.
And, in Anderson’s words: why not frozen yogurt?
“Everybody likes frozen yogurt,” he said. “Toledo is the gateway to Mount St. Helens. It gives people another place that they can stop and slow down and enjoy Toledo.”
Anderson, a longtime employee with Lewis County Public Works and unopposed candidate for the Toledo City Council Position No. 2 seat, is entering business ownership for the first time. He thanked Holley Kaiser, owner of Holley’s Place in Centralia, and Dan Gorton, owner of Bonanza BBQ & Catering in Toledo, for helping steer him in the right direction. The business is nearing completion as he waits for permitting and electrical work, and the soft serve machines arrived this week.
Anderson hopes the venture will be an opportunity to give back to the community in which Johnston grew up and the couple lived together for 18 years.
“I’m just hoping to break even. As long as I can break even and I can keep the doors open, I’m happy with that. I’m not looking to make a million dollars,” Anderson said. “I just want to do something for the community. I think this will be a good opportunity to teach younger kids some work ethic and maybe some business strategies.”
Jen’s Place Frozen Yogurt will offer chocolate and vanilla flavors, along with sugar-free options and a flavor of the month. As for the future, Anderson believes there is potential for expansion of the business to continue to honor Johnston’s legacy. The logo, which features a dragon holding a cup of frozen yogurt, also honors Johnston, as the couple had season tickets to the Seattle Sea Dragons XFL team and enjoyed attending games together.
“It means the world to me. I miss her, and this brings her closer to me every single day. Every step that we get closer to opening, it makes me feel a little bit better knowing that she would enjoy this place,” he said. “I hope to be a good business owner and hopefully bring happiness and joy to future generations.”
