Creating a Doughnut Niche in West End

Chocolate peanut butter pretzel, maple glazed bacon, cookies and cream and salted caramel are just a few of the differently flavored doughnuts available at the West End’s new mom-and-pop establishment Dough Hut.

Long Beach resident Tim Kelly, who has worked in the food industry for 20 years, opened the shop at 891 W. Beech Street a mere four weeks ago, and it already appears to be bustling with doughnut and java-lovers alike.

“People like good products at good prices,” Kelly said. “It’s a matter of putting out a good product and doing the hard work and [the shop] should succeed.”

And Kelly has put in the hard work. While he employs six people to help behind the counter, he spends about 15 hours a day, seven days a week in Dough Hut since it opened. He arrives at 4:30 a.m. each morning to make fresh doughnuts for the day, which sell for $1 to $2 each. The creative flavors are a mix of suggestions from customers, as well as Kelly’s own ideas. For instance, he was inspired to create the cookies and cream doughnut because of the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor.  

In addition to original, freshly made doughnuts, Dough Hut offers coffee that “sells like crazy,” according to Kelly. Cups of hot java range from $1.60 to $1.95 and cold coffees from $2 to 2.25. One of his best sellers is a cold brew coffee, which differs from regular iced coffee in that it never gets heated up and then chilled. Instead, a filter bag containing five pounds of coffee grinds is soaked in cool water for 14 hours.

“It’s not acidic or bitter,” Kelly said. “It’s actually kind of sweeter and nuttier. And it’s already got somewhat of a cult following.”

The shop features a dough mixer in the front window that is visible from outside, and a long, bleach-wood counter leads to the rear of the shop, where tables and chairs await patrons.

Jessica Siemens a non-resident who has a friend in the West End, has already become a regular at the Dough Hut.

“I have gone there every time I’m out in Long Beach,” said Siemens, whose favorite doughnut flavors are chocolate coconut and cinnamon. “I think of them all the time and wish I lived closer. The prices are great.

“The place has a great energy about it,” she added.

The Dough Hut’s Facebook page has more than 350 “likes,” and dozens of customers write comments gushing about their favorite doughnut and coffee flavors. Due to the shop's growing fan base, Kelly doesn't worry about reports of a Dunkin Donuts opening in the West End.

“You’re not going to find a maple glazed bacon doughnut at Dunkin Donuts,” he said. “You’re not going to find a s’mores doughnut. And you can buy Dunkin Donuts coffee at the grocery store.”

Kelly is leasing the 630-square-foot property, located between Wyoming Avenue and Alabama Street, for $1,750 per month including taxes but excluding utilities. The space is a former attorney’s office.

“The West End is really supportive of small mom-and-pop type shops,” Kelly explained. “So it’s been received very well by the locals and tourists alike.”