Get creative and send a message with your next order from Ye Olde Donut Shoppe
When one of Champaign-Urbana’s oldest donut brands makes an announcement, we feel obliged to amplify its message. On April 11, Ye Olde Donut Shoppe took to its Facebook page to reveal … wait for it … DONUT LETTERS.
We asked general manager Colin deBlouwe to tell us more about this innovation in donut technology. Why letters? Why now?
Apparently Ye Olde Donut Shoppe had received a call about ordering donut letters to spell out “Happy Birthday,” and sadly had to tell the customer that the store was not set up to make letter-shaped donuts. Recognizing this as a missed opportunity, Ye Olde set out to acquire the needed cookie cutters. And voilà, its new letter donuts are now available for pre-orders, “to have fun and allow our guests to be creative with donuts and share with friends and family,” deBlouwe said.
Some ordering details
Ye Olde Donut Shoppe makes the letters with its yeast dough only (cake is not an option). You can select any icing; choices include chocolate, vanilla, maple, lavender, lemon, strawberry, blueberry and caramel. You can also add toppings, but Ye Olde recommends sticking with sprinkles only, or leaving the icing plain. The store asks that you either specify one icing/topping for all the letters in your order ($1.50/letter), or let the shop handle creating a variety ($2/letter).
“We are so excited to have some fun with donuts and messages!” deBlouwe said, adding “We would like to thank the community for their support during the pandemic. We’re more than grateful to still be running during these times.”
Special pre-orders, with or without letters, are always welcome. Orders must be placed by 10 a.m. the previous day (or ideally two days prior), either through Facebook Messenger or by calling (217) 359-3311. Orders can be picked up at the store, either inside or at the drive-thru window.
You can find the retail storefront occupied by Ye Olde Donut Shoppe since 2019 at 1401 South Neil St., in front of the Homewood Suites. It serves a variety of donuts each day from opening (6 a.m.) until running out or until 1 p.m., whichever comes first. Be sure to grab some coffee (by the local bean gurus at Columbia Street Roastery) while you’re there.
If you haven’t previously visited the store, you have most likely encountered “The Original C-U Handmade Gourmet Donuts” at other locations — Espresso Royale and Art Mart, to name just two — since Ye Olde Donuts has been supplying its delicious pastries to commercial and wholesale customers since 1956.