BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:The cup runneth over here

Oreos, chocolate chip cookie dough, fruits, nuts, gummy bears and every treat in between — those are just some of the reasons to go out for a nice cup of frozen yogurt.

But if you’ve ever felt you didn’t get quite the amount you wanted, or were charged for each item, then you haven’t been to America’s Cup Yogurt on East 17th Street in Costa Mesa, where you can pile on as many layers as you want because you’re the creator of the perfect cup.

“You do it yourself, as much as you want,” Steve Song said, sitting in a booth in the shop.

About 11 years ago, Song and his wife Sharon — owners of America’s Cup — made their way from Korea to California.

Steve Song worked with a friend until he found a perfect place to call his own: America’s Cup Yogurt. It was not well-kept when he took over, he said, and business was slow, so he set out to turn the place around.

Investing all the money they brought from their native country, the couple began looking for higher quality frozen yogurt and toppings to please Costa Mesa residents in need of a cool treat.

His work paid off.

Almost 10 years later, business is booming and it’s all because of his loyal customers, some of whom come every day for a cup of the cold stuff. America’s Cup is tucked away in a small strip mall known for a high rate of business turnover and infamous for its difficult parking lot, so word of mouth is key to this business.

Casey Hill of Newport Beach has been coming to America’s Cup since she could barely see over the counter. She recently returned from Sun Valley, Idaho, where she worked as a ski and snowboard instructor.

Her first stop after she got off the plane? That’s right, America’s Cup.

“How’s that, I flew in and came to America’s Cup,” said Hill, 23, after having a taste of her yogurt. “I don’t know, there’s just something about it, I just love it.”

Hill is not alone as other customers cruise in to the shop and give a warm hello to Steve and Sharon Song, who know many of their customers by first name. Steve Song said they’re not just customers.

“I think they are my family,” he said.

Many of the regulars are second-generation customers, following in the footsteps of their parents, something Steve Song said he is very proud of.

He’s also proud of the quality of product he keeps in his machines. All the frozen yogurt is nonfat and he keeps seven standard flavors in the machines all the time and circulates others.

He has no sugar added, tart and sour — what he says is the next big fad in frozen yogurt — “skinny minnie,” which is low in carbohydrates and he’ll soon carry nondairy yogurt at the request of some of his customers.

He sells the yogurt by weight, instead of by topping or size, so the more you stack, the more you shell out, but at 31cents per ounce, it’s not going to be a major hit in the wallet.

Steve Song said the average customer pays $2 to $3 for their yogurt.

Besides the product, the formula for keeping business steady — even as summer comes to a close — is fairly simple.

“We work very, very hard. We always think of the best quality, we keep a clean store and [are] always friendly to customers.”