Michael Farah, founder of Berry Chill, must have a thing for the letter C. With the opening of his first location, he's focusing on community, customers, charity and couture. Oh, and his yogurt is chilled, thank you very much (not frozen).

The concept starts with a lactose-free yogurt base. All-natural, teeming with active cultures and skimpy on the calories (21 per ounce, to be exact), the tangy treat is what Farah refers to as "a true health food."

From there, yogurt can be spruced up with the help of real-deal flavoring. In the Chilled Hot Chocolate, for example, the chilly stuff is spliced with cacao bean extract; the Chilled Latte packs a jittery punch with real espresso.

Add more flavorful flair from a selection of 40 toppings hand-plucked from the local sweets-purveyors. On the roster: pie crumbles from neighboring bakery Pie, crushed up smiley-face cookies from Leonard's Bakery in Northbrook and granola from Milk and Honey.

Techies who like yogurt will love the Berry Chill ordering process, which involves walking up to a kiosk, inserting the Culture Card (or loyalty card) and touch-screening your selection. It gets better: Upon registering for a Culture Card, customers reveal their charity of choice; every time the card is used for a purchase, three percent of proceeds go to that charity.

The couture concept extends from tailor-made yogurt to include a line of vintage-inspired Berry Chill apparel. Plus, the ambient music, patio seating and customized mural makes Berry Chill a mite sleeker than your typical fro-yo shop.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg