SLO Donut Co. to expand, doubling its space in San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo-based SLO Donut Co., which is nearing capacity at its 793 Foothill Blvd. location, plans to double its space by expanding next door. The new area is slated to open around April.
Owners Jacob and Jessie Pickering are renovating the nearly 2,000-square-foot space, formerly occupied by Studio Video.
The expansion will include additional seating, a larger kitchen, more storage, administrative offices and new bathrooms (including separate male and female restrooms with multiple stalls in each). The new restrooms will replace the store’s single co-ed restroom and employee bathroom.
The new space will also include a Murphy bed-style stage that folds down from the wall for live music and comedy nights, which the doughnut shop hopes will become regular occurrence, manager Haley McLaughlin said.
A larger kitchen will allow the business to handle more wholesale contracts and do more production-based work, such as providing customized doughnuts for special events on a larger scale, Jacob Pickering said. With more kitchen space, SLO Donut Co. will add gluten-free and vegan doughnuts to its menu, along with more of its specialty and seasonal doughnuts.
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SLO Donut Co. offers more than 110 doughnut options ranging from traditional flavors to gourmet styles — such as crème brûlée, Fruit Loop crumb and maple bacon. It also offers a selection of croissants.
The company has 20 to 25 employees, a mix of full- and part-time workers. New staff has already been hired and trained in anticipation of the expansion, McLaughlin said. The Pickerings declined to disclose financial information.
SLO Donut Co. is seeking to open a shop in Atascadero. The owners were in lease negotiations this past summer to operate in the former Jack in the Box building at 6320 El Camino Real.
McLaughlin said that the owners have experienced a lot of unforeseen permitting and lease difficulties with the space, delaying the opening. She added that the Pickerings are focusing on the expansion of the San Luis Obispo store before turning their attention back to the North County site.
Danielle Ames: 805-781-7902
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This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 10:57 AM with the headline "SLO Donut Co. to expand, doubling its space in San Luis Obispo."