Aaliyah Wicks opens Toowoomba's first self-serve froyo bar

As froyo takes over the world, it seemed Toowoomba might get left behind - that was until a young go-getter came to our rescue.

22-year-old business owner Aaliyah Wicks has opened Toowoomba's first and only frozen yoghurt bar. Picture: Kate Stephenson

Shaking up the dessert market for regional Queensland, a young Toowoomba woman has opened the city’s first and only self-serve frozen yoghurt bar.

Aaliyah Wicks has opened Sista Swirl on Ruthven St, near to the People First Bank building and Bone Idol Brewery.

“I saw on community Facebook pages everyone asking when frozen yoghurt was opening in Toowoomba,” the 22-year-old Toowoomba woman said.

“I am a frozen yoghurt lover … most of my friends and family told me they would drive to Brisbane just to get frozen yoghurt.

“So I started deep diving from there, I saw an opportunity because Toowoomba doesn’t have any, until now.”

Business owner Aaliyah Wicks, 22, has opened Toowoomba's first and only frozen yoghurt bar. Picture: Kate Stephenson

The young entrepreneur has been working in hospitality since her first job as a teenager, learning the ins and outs of the industry with a dream to create a business of her own.

“I fell in love with it,” Ms Wicks said.

“I came from restaurant management and I really loved the managing experience – I love working with staff, customer service so my own business was my dream and frozen yoghurt was my opportunity.

“I deemed myself out of the housing market since that’s almost impossible so my house deposit went into this instead.”

Aaliyah Wicks has opened Toowoomba's first and only frozen yoghurt bar. Picture: Kate Stephenson

Not afraid of a challenge, Sista Swirl is independently owned and operated by Ms Wicks, without the backing of a franchisor.

“As a young person it has been very daunting (setting up), the business market has a lot of sharks,” Ms Wicks said.

“There was just so much involved that I didn’t anticipate but now I feel comfortable to teach someone else how to open a business.

“When I found this spot, I thought it was the perfect venue and I just really want to make it work and even while setting everything up there’s been so much excitement from locals.”

Australia’s frozen yoghurt market has seen an incredible boom in recent months, with popular chains like Boost Juice founder Janine Allis’s Yo-Chi attracting long lines onto the streets.

Ms Wicks is determined Toowoomba won’t miss out on the fun.

“Frozen yoghurt is definitely trending among Gen Z, but even with other demographics we are also a different option for dessert in the Toowoomba CBD,” Ms Wicks said.

“It is like ice cream but healthier – with probiotics, calcium – and you get to build your own dessert how you want it.

“Sweet tooths, healthy options, vegan, gluten free, acai – I think I’m hitting a large market.

“I really do have high hopes that this will work and maybe I will have multiple locations over Toowoomba one day … hopefully I can earn my house deposit back.”

Sista Swirl is located at 430 Ruthven St, Toowoomba City.

Keep up to date with new flavours and offerings at sistaswirl.com.au or on their Instagram and Facebook pages.

Originally published as Aaliyah Wicks opens Toowoomba's first self-serve froyo bar