Yogurtland, Coco Swirl and Red Mango are just a few examples of one clear sign. The self-serve yogurt wave has officially hit the Bay Area. Just as smoothie shops became the trend a few years ago, now it's yogurt stores that are popping up all over the place.

"It's for people that want to eat ice cream but don't want to feel guilty afterwards," said Carlise Fredrick of San Francisco, who frequents these establishments about three times a week. "I know I'm paying more than I should, but I love it anyway."

Her favorite is European Tart.

Last December, Gary Scott opened up Top This Frozen Yogurt Bar in San Ramon. He got the idea several years earlier when he went to Southern California to visit his daughter.

"They had them everywhere, and I thought it made a lot of sense to have one in the Bay Area," he said.

Unfortunately, others had the same idea.

"At the time I thought of it, there weren't any going in," he said. "Now they're everywhere."

About a mile away, and just months after Scott opened his doors, Yogurtland launched on the same road just a couple miles down the road.

A search of the Yellowpages online will find that about 60 to 70 yogurt stores are now open in the Bay Area, with a dozen more expected to open by the end of the year. If the trend moves as it has in Southern California, one expert says that he wouldn't be surprised to see the number triple.

"I've had clients open

The reason for the rise in popularity may be a combination of the health and wellness industry being popular, and the simplicity of running such a business.

"People like to be able to individually choose whatever they want," said Tom Lee, who owns five Yogurtfina's in the Bay Area including Pleasanton, Tracy and Alameda. "Our stores are doing really well."

Although people who think it's easy might get a rude awakening.

"Initially you think, just throw out a couple of machines, slap them against the wall, and open the door so they come flocking into you," Scott said. "It's not that easy because generally when people come to our place, it's more of an experience then just yogurt."

Scott's store is not a franchise, as his employees like to remind customers. But the resemblance to its competitors can't be overlooked.

The prototype yogurt shop usually has from four to 12 yogurt flavors to chose from. Typically, families gather and start with taste cups before proceeding to larger cups for their main choice.

Flavors range from the typical such as tart and chocolate to the unusual such as Moon Pie, Birthday Cake, and Marshmellow.

After choosing the yogurt, then the fun begins as customers pile on toppings of their choice.

Generally the yogurt is then put on a scale, and the price is determined by weight. At most stores, the price is about 45 cents per ounce.

"The kids love it," Scott said. "They like to pull the handle and put Gummy Bears on top."

If you think what keeps people around is the yogurt itself, you might be surprised. Except for the few stores that try to come up with flavors on their own, nearly every store gets their product from either Rainbow's End or YoCream Frozen Yogurt.

Sometimes, stores will change the name, or mix two flavors together to make it "their own," but most of them share common flavors.

"It's funny because I'll go into one store and have the chocolate, and my friend will say, the best chocolate yogurt is down the street," said Jon Beck, who comes up with the flavors for Rainbow's End. "I laugh because I know they're both from us."

Mike Davis, whose company supplies the toppings for stores, says he's never seen a craze like this for yogurt.

It was big in the 1980s, but even then wasn't as big as it is now, he said.

"The yogurt industry right now is crazy hot," he said. "Doesn't matter if you're supplying cups, toppings, or the yogurt itself, everybody is making money at it."

However, the question is whether it's a trend or here to stay.

"Honestly, I think it's probably a trend," Davis said. "You'll see it grow for a few years, and then the ones that run their stores best will stick around."