About three years ago, Las Vegas resident and Bridgeport native Kash Kiefer took a gamble. He and a business partner purchased a Yogurtland franchise and established the self-serve frozen yogurt business in Henderson, the southeastern suburbs of Vegas.

 

“We can’t look into the future to know if there’s going to be an economic crash or a disaster in the area, so you just have to make to make what I consider an educated gamble," Kiefer said. 

 

Long story short, the gamble turned out favorable. Earlier this month at an awards ceremony held at the Venetian ballroom and emceed by Suzanne Somers, Kiefer’s business was announced a “Best of Las Vegas” gold award winner. For 35 years, the Las Vegas Review Journal has sponsored the reader’s choice awards – awarding more than 8,000 awards to the city’s best places to eat, shop and play.

 

Kiefer said when he received the invitation to attend the ceremony, he knew his Yogurtland store had been nominated, but not that it had won.

 

“It’s really cool. It’s like the Grammy awards of all places in Las Vegas,” he said. “There were several different categories and we won in the desserts category – which is really awesome.”

 

Voting is conducted through various social media platforms of The Las Vegas Review Journal, a well-known publication; one which residents and tourists depend upon for referrals with regard to food, entertainment and attractions.

 

“It helps people make decisions about where to go while they are on vacation and it helps the businesses in a lot of different ways,” he said. “It’s great for marketing because it helps get the names out there.”

 

Located about 15 minutes from the Vegas strip, the business is not right in the thick of the tourist pathway, but Kiefer said it has turned out to be a favorable location.

 

“One thing that’s key for any type of business – no matter what it is – is traffic," he said. "We got in at a time when the area was booming. A lot of different stores and restaurants popped up.”

 

That situation, combined with hard work – and perhaps a little good luck – has led to a successful business venture. Kiefer said he and his business partner, Bobby Bigelow, are fortunate in that most of their customers are happy customers when they come into the store and when they leave.

 

“We have kids and families coming in and having a really good time making their own creations,” he said.

 

Yogurtland offers 16 flavors of frozen yogurt and well over 50 toppings, which customers can mix any way they like. Although there were similar yogurt shops in Vegas, there wasn’t one in Henderson when the franchise opportunity came up. Kiefer said one reason he decided the business venture was a good idea is that he had a memory of talking with a yogurt shop owner several years ago – and he thought then that the concept was a great idea.

 

“Our family had vacationed in Miami at least 10 years ago,” he said. “My sister Kylie wanted to go into the Kardashian store and I didn’t. Right next to it was a little shop where a guy had a yogurt machine. He told me all about it and I thought it was pretty cool. Seven years later, the same idea – on a larger scale – came along.”

 

A 2004 graduate of Bridgeport High School and kicker for the Indian football team, Kiefer went on to kick for the Maine Black Bears and thereafter pursue a number of ventures in the entertainment industry. He was a featured bachelor on the dating reality show, “’Sweet Home Alabama,” an extra in Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” music video, a contestant on National Geographic Channel’s “Brain Games” and a number of other acting and modeling pursuits. He has also worked at the Hakkasan Las Vegas Nightclub.