The Journey of a Lemonberry Manager – Meet Medina’s Nicole Loder
By Isabella Giacomazza, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- Nicole Loder has been the manager at Medina’s Lemonberry Frozen Yogurt (and sister store Bubbleberry – Bubble Tea) for about five years. She first joined the team four years earlier as a young employee. After attending Baldwin Wallace University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources (HR) and Management with a minor in Marketing, Loder gained experience through internships and later secured a job in corporate HR. However, she had always missed working at Lemonberry, explaining she didn’t enjoy sitting at a desk all day. She felt Lemonberry had always been where her heart was, and stayed in touch with owners Don and Sandra Smith, who informed her that they needed a manager to help run the stores. So, she returned to the family business she had always loved.
Loder wears many hats to run the daily business, from training and hiring to writing schedules, managing the team, creating new recipes and marketing. She finds that it can be a fast-paced environment that requires constant juggling.
Loder’s favorite part of her job is her team and customers. When she first came back to manage, they didn’t have any managers or assistant managers. Lemonberry has now grown and has two assistant managers and 40-plus employees between stores in Medina and Brecksville. Loder says that Lemonberry's assistant managers make everything they do possible, from social media to new drink recipes, training, and more.
At Lemonberry, they hire a lot of high schoolers, who usually work there throughout their high school years and come back for college break. Loder talked about how it is rewarding to see their growth and all the things they have done and are doing. She also loves the customers, especially seeing regulars and being able to chat. They always strive for Lemonberry to be a happy, kind, and upbeat place for customers and staff to come to. “I always love to serve a cup of joy to make someone’s day a little sweeter,” she said.
According to Loder, the hardest part of her job is when staff have to go to college after working with them for years and becoming family. She says that it’s bittersweet because she will miss them but she is also happy for their next chapter in life.
A saying Loder loves is “comparison is the thief of joy”. She truly believes you should follow what you love and not worry about what or where others are doing in life.
Lemonberry is a small family-owned business and has great owners, team members, and customers. She said that she is “always so grateful that the owners trust her and the assistant managers to be creative, the team members to make Lemonberry what it is, and customers for the community support that lets us keep doing what we love every day.”
Visit Lemonberry in Medina at 201 South Court Street, or in Brecksville at 8483 Chippewa Road.
Isabella Giacomazza, Brunswick Middle School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS: Nicole Loder; Medina County residents Mary Jane Clucas and grandson Sam enjoying a treat together at Lemonberry Medina; Lemonberry Medina treat and exterior sign; a variety of toppings at Lemonberry.