Sophisticated doughnut eaters - oxymoron? No, marketing opportunity, say the owners of a new, independent shop.
By JAY CRIDLIN
Published April 30, 2004
After 23 years of marriage and 11 cross-country moves, Doug and Vicki Allen have learned two things.
One, it's tough to find good barbecue outside Kansas City. Two, it's almost impossible to find good doughnuts anywhere.
That last part is something the Allens hope to change. On Saturday, the Brandon couple will open Brookhaven Donuts, an independent pastry store on Brandon Boulevard featuring handmade doughnuts and gourmet coffee.
It's a bold move, considering the local competition: a Dunkin' Donuts 2 miles east on Brandon Boulevard, and an 8-month-old Krispy Kreme just a short drive south on Providence Road.
Nationally, those two industry titans combined for more than 70 percent of the U.S. doughnut market in 2002, BusinessWeek reported last year.
Doughnuts are about a $4-billion-a-year industry. The Allens say more than $40-million worth of pastries are sold in the Tampa Bay area alone each year.
The Allens, who have dreamed of opening a mom-and-pop doughnut business for more than a decade, hope there's room in the market for them.
"Some people go to 7-Eleven for coffee; some go to Starbucks," said Vicki Allen, who worked in corporate marketing before taking the reins at Brookhaven. "Some people are going to go somewhere else for doughnuts, and some people are going to prefer our product."
Their goal is to create an upscale doughnut market for the growing population of affluent residents in communities like FishHawk Ranch.
"The niche we're after is the high-end, gourmet doughnut eater," says Doug Allen, now a trucking consultant. "We view ourselves as a cross between a Starbucks and a Panera Bread."
Brookhaven's initial prices reflect the disposable income of their target customers. An assorted dozen there costs $7.99, compared with $5.99 at Krispy Kreme and $5.49 at Dunkin' Donuts.
But Brookhaven's doughnuts are handmade, Vicki Allen said, so the five bakers on hand may alter the recipes to taste on any given day.
To get started, the Allens hired Danny Helms, a Cincinnati bakery consultant, to work for a week with the Brookhaven staff.
Helms, who worked in an independent bakery for more than 20 years, says that while the doughnut business may seem daunting, new mom-and-pop shops can still thrive in the right market.
"The mom-and-pop stores seem to take a little more pride in it because it's theirs," he said.
The Allens will have a low-key opening Saturday. Their drive-through window will not be operational for another month or so, and they have not yet added espresso or cappuccino to their menu.
But they have plenty of doughnuts - including their specialty, blueberry - and an assortment of apple turnovers and plate-sized cinnamon rolls.
"We don't plan on branching off into sandwiches, lunch or dinner," Doug Allen said. "We're going to stick to what we do best, and that's making great doughnuts."
Brookhaven Donuts, at 2128 W Brandon Blvd., opens Saturday. Shop hours will be 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. six days a week and 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Doughnuts are 89 cents each or $7.99 per dozen. For more information, call 571-0080.
