SHENANDOAH, Iowa (KMTV) — When word got out in Shenandoah that the Donut Stop was closing neighbors were upset. It's been part of the community for decades. Then, Todd and Stacy Kirk stepped up to buy it.
- Todd Kirk: “I’ve talked to people that are in their 60s and it was here when they were kids.”
- “Nobody wants to come into a town that’s — tumbleweeds are blowing across Main Street,” Mayor Roger McQueen said. “You know, we want to keep our downtown thriving.”
- Right now, the shop is selling out early. They were out of donuts a little after 10 a.m. on Friday. Pre-ordering is a good option, say the Kirks.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
You’ve gotta get up pretty early in the morning if you want a donut from the Donut Stop.
I’m Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel in Shenandoah. Locals here are thrilled that a decades-old business has new owners and new life.
Stacy Kirk: “Yeah, so how many long johns did you want?”
It’s been a mainstay of the community for decades.
Todd Kirk: “I’ve talked to people that are in their 60s and it was here when they were kids.”
Late last year, word went out that the shop was closing.
Katrina Markel: “What was the reaction in town when people thought the Donut Stop was closing?“
Mayor Roger McQueen: “You know, almost devastation, I mean. To the point — you know it’s been a landmark for so long and, you know, Shenandoah just has the Donut Stop.”
That’s when Todd and Stacy Kirk decided they could buy it. The doors were closed for three weeks and when it re-opened on Thursday, there were lines of happy neighbors. The donuts sold out fast.
Mayor Roger McQueen says keeping businesses on Main Street is key to the community’s vitality.
“Nobody wants to come into a town that’s — tumbleweeds are blowing across Main Street,” he said. “You know, we want to keep our downtown thriving.”
An experienced restaurant manager, Todd is now building a business of his own.
Stacy wipes flour off his face as they laugh.
Todd: “Flour everywhere.”
The Kirks are grateful for the lines of supportive neighbors.
“We had about 20 dozen glazed we sold in 45 minutes,” she said.
On Friday, donuts and donut holes were gone a little after 10 A.M. I got one of the last ones.
The Kirks say, if you want to make sure you have your donuts, you can always pre-order.
