Doughnut shop to expand, add jobs

A Springboro doughnut shop is celebrating its upcoming 30th anniversary by transforming its business inside and out.

The Donut Haus at 305 W. Central Ave. in Springboro will break ground next spring on a construction project that will add a drive-through window and as many as seven new jobs, according to the doughnut shop’s owner, Mike Hemmert. And the interior of the shop is in the midst of a makeover that when completed will mean new countertops, flooring, seating, bakery cases and refrigeration units.

All told, the construction and renovation costs will reach $100,000.

“We always appreciate it when a local business chooses to expand here, and to make an investment in the community,” said Chris Pozzuto, assistant city manager in Springboro.

Hemmert said business has been strong, and he’s optimistic about his doughnut shop’s future.

“My business has been consistently growing year-over-year during the downturn of the economy the past five years,” Hemmert said. And his customers — especially parents with young children — have been clamoring for years for the convenience of a drive-through window, he said.

Hemmert spent several years working at, and later consulting with, McDonald’s restaurants before launching the Donut Haus in 1984, and said he has seen how drive-through windows can boost business. He expects to break ground on the Donut Haus drive-through window in March 2014, and is looking toward a May opening.

To make sure traffic flows smoothly and quickly through the drive-through, Hemmert said he’ll limit the selection available to the shop’s dozen or so top-selling items. The shop — which also acts as a doughnut wholesaler, delivering doughnuts to grocers and convenience stores within a 120 mile radius — employs 15, and will add four to seven new jobs when the drive-through window opens.

Hemmert has added new granite countertops, bakery display cases and refrigeration equipment this year, and over the winter will replace seating with a blend of high-top tables, booths and other tables.

For more information about the Donut Haus, call (937) 748-0380.

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