Donut Connection reopens in Butler with a change
Donut Connection in Butler has reopened under new management and is making more than just doughnuts.
The Nonprofit Development Corporation (NDC) of Butler bought the shop in December from longtime owner Karen Stockburger, whose late mother started the business 38 years ago, and held a soft reopening Friday before Saturday's official opening.
In addition to making doughnuts using the Stockburgers' original recipe, the shop will provide hands-on training and retail experience to culinary students at the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School, and the profits left after bills and wages are paid will help fund the NDC's work in the community, said Mike Robb, NDC executive director.
The NDC supports individuals, nonprofit organizations and government entities to obtain technical assistance, affordable space, supported employment and funding opportunities.
“We wanted to keep this community legacy alive,” Robb said. “We wanted to have a community place where people can get a quality product. We make everything fresh.”
Friday's soft opening attracted so many customers that the shop ran out of doughnuts, he said. Beginning Saturday, the shop will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
“We sold over a hundred dozen (Friday). It really is fantastic,” Robb said.
The shop has nine employees, but will need about six more. The jobs are full- and part-time, he said.“We wish them all the best,” said Stockburger, who attended Friday's soft opening. “I think they're going to be quite successful.”She said she was forced to close the shop in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could have reopened in June, but she didn't because she didn't think there was an efficient way to run the business with COVID-19 restrictions in place.The NDC approached her about the business and she said she agreed to sell it and the recipe.She said she likes the fact that NDC will help train students and use the profits for its work in the community.“I think it's going to be a win-win for everybody,” Stockburger said.Jordan Grady, Butler County Chamber of Commerce executive director, and Jeff Geibel, Butler Downtown president, also attended the soft opening.“It's the exact same doughnuts, the exact same recipe,” Grady said. “It's nice to have them back.”He said the shop is located near other business in the city's south side, including a hair salon, dry cleaner, tattoo shop and a food mart, and it will increase foot traffic that should benefit all of them.“It will help those businesses thrive. It will benefit the city,” Grady said.Geibel said he is glad to see a long-standing business in the city return to life.“We wish them the best,” Geibel said. “The place looks sharp. They have a good thing going.”
