“The [customers] that aren’t getting out [and] aren’t going places—we actually come to them,” said Keith Selby, owner of Hurts Donut’s Frisco location. “They are just flabbergasted at the fact that we would come out and bring doughnuts to them.”
He said the doughnut delivery vehicle initially operated much like an ice cream truck. However, the business now picks a specific location in each neighborhood to allow for social distancing and safety for those lining up to get a treat.
That exposure has helped bring new visitors to the physical store. Selby estimated that about 40% of those coming through the doors at Hurts Donut are first-time visitors.
“When they come in, especially if they have kids with them, it’s like [they’re walking] into Disneyland,” Selby said. “They don’t expect two full cases of 59-plus different kinds of doughnuts and toppings and kolaches and cinnamon rolls and bacon bars. The typical doughnut shop here in Frisco is not our model.”
Weekends have proven to be the shop’s busiest time; Selby noted that the staff often makes as many as 3,500 doughnuts on Saturdays. However, at the beginning of the pandemic, even those days slowed considerably, and Hurts Donut reduced its hours. That proved to be an issue for the business, which had operated 24 hours a day since opening in January 2017.
“We didn’t even know where the key was to the doors,” Selby said. “We hadn’t locked them in three years.”
But after the downturn in March and April, Selby said the store returned to being open 24 hours a day, and year over year, sales have subsequently been up.
“The only difference is now a large portion of our sales—8%-10%—are actually deliveries,” he said. “A large percentage of those customers still do not want to go out.”
For those who do not want to wait for a visit from the Emergency Donut Vehicle, Selby said Hurts Donut also offers delivery options through DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats.
Hurts Donut Co.
3288 Main St., Ste. 101, Frisco
469-214-8001
http://hurtsdonutco.com
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 12:01 a.m.-midnight
