Valley businesses celebrate National Doughnut Day

By kalea hall | khall@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Today, it is OK for you to grab a doughnut for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Luckily, in the Mahoning Valley, there are iconic doughnut offerings readily available for today, National Doughnut Day.

Delight in either the old-school feel of a Plaza Donuts cream stick, a perfectly blueberry-drizzled blueberry-cake doughnut from White House Fruit Farm, or a chocolate/peanut-butter creation from Yo. Doughnut Co.

National Doughnut Day “is going to be crazy,” said Royce Robinson, co-owner of Yo. Doughnut Co.

The idea of “doughnut day” actually started on the battlefields of France during World War I.

Salvation Army workers would serve coffee and doughnuts to soldiers to cheer them up. National Doughnut Day officially started during the Great Depression to raise funds for the Salvation Army’s social-service programs. Female Salvation Army volunteers were known as “donut lassies” for their work in providing supplies and doughnuts to soldiers.

“[Doughnuts] bring happiness to everyone,” said Ronnie Marrow, co-owner of Yo. Doughnut Co.

Bringing that happiness means hard work for the doughnut-shop owners and bakers. Today, a whole crew is prepared to mix, bake and make the tasty art forms.

One-year-old Yo. Doughnut Co. closed for a short period, but opened back up in April to bring doughnuts back to downtown Youngstown. The Rayen Avenue location is a former gas station turned old-fashioned doughnut shop with classic and specialty doughnuts.

To fill the shelves, Marrow and Robinson get in at midnight the night before and start making doughnuts from scratch so they are fresh for the next day. Of most importance are the cream sticks or “long johns” and the “blue on blue” blueberry-iced blueberry-cake doughnut – the top two at the shop.

“I didn’t realize how much goes into it,” Marrow said.

The two know the beginning of the week is typically slower than Thursday and Friday, so they are going to prepare heavily for today. In celebration of National Doughnut Day, Yo. Doughnut Co. will take a $1 off one-dozen doughnuts; 50 cents off of a half-dozen; offer a raised doughnut and a coffee for $1.99; and free doughnuts for children.

Plaza Donuts of Liberty, Boardman and downtown Youngstown will not have any specials but will have extra doughnuts on hand.

The more than 50-year-old Valley staple offers more than just doughnuts, though. It offers a place to chew the fat with local friends and acquaintances.

The Belmont Avenue shop might be old-school, but it has a delightful atmosphere with the yellow-colored seats and “The taste tells the difference” sign promoting the quality of the doughnuts to invite customers.

When Plaza first opened on Belmont by brothers Berkeley and Irv Froomkin in 1963, life was different. Doughnut shops of its kind were the “new” hit.

“It was a new concept and it worked,” said Mike Froomkin, co-owner of Plaza whose father is Berkeley. “This particular type of operation is outdated.”

To stay afloat, the doughnut shop has learned through the years what works and what doesn’t. The doughnuts at the shop work. That’s what the customers want. And they also want that relaxed atmosphere, so Plaza caters to that with lottery and Keno options. The newspaper stands outside are also a must.

The process of making sure the daily and new customers have doughnuts begins the day before the next business day. Deliveries are made to convenience-store customers, hospitals and others by the next morning. Today will be the same, but the business is expected to be increased.

Likewise, customers will flock to White House in Green Township in Mahoning County for the beloved blueberry doughnuts today, when customers can get a free doughnut when they buy one dozen.

“I think people like the product,” said Crystal Markovich, co-head baker of the doughnuts for White House. “It’s all made fresh today.”

The doughnuts that practically sell out every day came to White House in the late 1970s. It was just the basics back then, and over the years, bakers tried different recipes and some stuck. Today, there are 30 to 35 different flavors made daily. Some were made on purpose; others, like the mixed berry, were made by mistake but remained a permanent fixture on the doughnut shelf.

The sweet smell of White House doughnuts is noticeable as soon as customers walk in the door, alluring them to grab some.

“Making doughnuts is not for everyone,” Markovich said. “We take pride in it because we try to come up with new things. You can be creative.”

In addition to the local doughnut shops, Dunkin’ Donuts also will offer specials today. Participating locations will offer customers a free doughnut of their choice with the purchase of any beverage.