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Angie Yahne, left, and Ann Park, co-owners of Tropical Smoothie in Aberdeen, are set to open their newest cafe Aug. 4 on the east side of town. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Local residents who have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Tropical Smoothie Cafe need only wait a few more days.
The franchise is set to open in Aberdeen on Monday, Aug. 4 at 3502 Seventh Ave. S.E. That’s in the northwest corner of the Montgomery’s Furniture parking lot.
Franchise owner Angie Yahne said the store will offer a variety of deals and specials as it opens, including the opportunity to win free smoothies for a year. The first 50 customers on Saturday, Aug. 9 will get a code they can use on the Tropical Smoothie app for one free smoothie a week for a year.
Yahne said customers who use the app not only have the ability to place orders for pick-up or delivery, they can also earn points toward free drinks and food.
Construction of the 1,100-square-foot building started in late 2024. It will feature limited seating both inside and out. The cafe will also feature two drive-up lanes. The one on the left, she said, is designated for pre-orders and Door Dash delivery pickups. The one on the right is for drive-up customers.
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In addition to a wide variety of smoothies that can be catered to customers’ preferences, Tropical Smoothie will offer an extensive menu with fresh food like breakfast bowls, quesadillas and flatbread sandwiches.
“We have quite the list,” Yahne said. “There’s no fried food, and it’s all fresh to order.”
This is Yahne’s second franchise in eastern South Dakota. She also owns and operates the Watertown cafe with her partner Ann Park. Park opened the first Tropical Smoothie in eastern South Dakota in Brookings in 2021. Yahne said that’s where she discovered the restaurant.
“I got some food and thought it was really good,” she said.
Yahne was looking for something different, and the cost to obtain a franchise and build appealed to her.
Originally from Watertown, she said she picked her home community for a Tropical Smoothie because she thought it provided something that was missing. She feels the same applies to Aberdeen.
Yahne said she and Park have purchased the franchise rights for two stores in Sioux Falls, though no sites have been selected. There are no Tropical Smoothies in Sioux Falls yet.
The Aberdeen cafe will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.
Redfield bridge to be dedicated to local veteran
The U.S. Highway 212 bridge over Turtle Creek in Redfield will be dedicated next month in memory of 1st Lt. Larry H. Barbee.
Barbee was born in Quanah, Texas, in 1945 and grew up in South Dakota. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966, received jungle expert training and completed officer candidate school. He served in Vietnam starting in August 1968 and died in battle on June 6, 1969, during a fierce five-hour battle near An Loc. He was attempting to rescue a wounded platoon member, according to a news release from the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.
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“The Fallen Hero Bridge Dedication program ensures their sacrifice is remembered every day,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jeremiah Schneider said in the release. “These dedications serve as lasting symbols of gratitude and respect, connecting our communities to the legacy of those who served.“
The dedication ceremony is at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 at American Legion Post 92 in Redfield, 612 Main St.
Chili cook-off entries wanted
The South Dakota State Chili Cook Off will be Saturday, Aug. 16 in Centennial Village at the Brown County Fairgrounds.
Registration and setup begins at 7 a.m., with public tasting starting at 2 p.m. Categories include red, verde and homestyle chili with a $40 entry fee per chili. There’s also youth homestyle category for ages 6-17. The entry fee is $10. Cooking begins at:
- 9 a.m. for adult homestyle.
- 9:30 a.m. for youth homestyle.
- 10 a.m. for verde.
- 11 a.m. for red.
There is no access to electricity. Each team should prepare at least two gallons of chili and take their own canopy for shade. For more information, contact George P. Sullivan at [email protected] or 605-380-1618.
Northern student, faculty study accepted for publication
A Northern State University study looking into how animals can help students adjust to the challenges of college life will be published in “People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice,” according to a news release from the university.
It was authored by faculty members Shalini Mathew, Nicole Schutter and Monte Meyerink, student Abiah George and former faculty member Christopher Puglisi.
The team gathered information from multiple college and university campuses over an 18-month period and found incorporating animal-assisted services into college transition programs helps foster supportive environments, reduce test anxiety and enhance learning.