It’s time to make the donuts in Savoy.
A Champaign couple plans to open Industrial Donut, a shop that will feature a food concept not yet seen in Champaign-Urbana: made-to-order, customizable donuts created in small batches and served hot.
Industrial Donut will be the first business in a new building that neighbors the Savoy Aldi. The building is still under construction; the opening date is fluid, but expect it to happen sometime in late April or early May.
Owners Rebecca Powers and her husband James, who are self-described “donut people,” told chambanamoms.com in a phone interview that they have always wanted to own a donut shop, and the time “just seemed to be right.”
The concept they are bringing to Savoy is the result of a lot of research, mainly in the form of taste-testing some of the best; they have literally traveled the world in search of the best donuts.
How it works: Customers will fill out a form that will specify how many donuts; what icing they want; and what topping they want. Icing choices will include flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, and maple. The 15 topping choices will range from trendy items like maple bacon to classics such as rainbow sprinkles. They plan to have different specials as well, and will add catering for special events and large orders – eventually.
The made-to-order concept is as described by Powers as an experience, one her second grade daughter can’t wait to share with her friends.
Customers can watch their donuts being made in the open concept kitchen. Donuts will be made throughout the day in small batches so they are constantly fresh, she said.
“Most of the time when you get your box you can still feel the heat,” Powers said. “Everyone keeps comparing it to the Chipotle of donuts.”
They look forward to welcoming customers into the building and want to be a destination. With seating for 25, it will have a very long table and some small tables. Free wifi will be available and there will be outlets at almost every seating spot. They plan to have outdoor space but it won’t be ready when the doors open.
As for coffee, Industrial Donut is working on a collaboration with local Columbia Street Roastery.
“A made-to-order donut shop is something we need here,” Rebecca Powers said. “Savoy is really underserved. There’s not the opportunity to sit and work and hang out anywhere.”
Savoy residents have told the village for years that what they really wanted was as simple as coffee and donuts. And while you can get good donuts at Schnuck’s – that’s what our readers say, anyway – it doesn’t have the charm of a dedicated donut emporium.
“We’ve had a lot of local residents ask for that in surveys and such,” said Savoy Zoning Administrator Dan Davies, noting the building plans include an “incredible” kitchen – upping his expectations for the delectable donuts. ” We’re really excited about it. ”
The store will occupy about 1,600 square feet of a 5,000 square foot building; Industrial Donut will be on the south end of the building, pictured in the rendering below. It sits at the corner of Calvin Street and a new road called Commerce Drive.
Negotiations are underway with another tenant in the building, Davies said.
To learn more about Industrial Donut and follow along as it progresses toward opening in late April-early May, follow it on Facebook and/or Instagram.
For more on Champaign-Urbana’s best donuts/doughnuts, visit our roundup of reader favorites.
