[ALERT] Shipley Do-Nuts Has Arrived in Georgia

Shipley Do-Nuts, makers of gourmet, made-fresh-daily do-nuts, has finally brought its do-nuts to Georgia.  Metro Atlanta's first franchise opened March 20th at 3225 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming in Forsyth County. The shop is locally owned and operated by Oziel “Ozzie” Rodriguez and his wife Brenda, who also own Coal Mountain Package Store and Palapas Bar and Grill, also in Forsyth County. 

"Founded in 1936 in Houston, Shipley Do-Nuts is beloved throughout the South for its more than 60 varieties of fresh, hot do-nuts, as well as kolaches (savory breakfast rolls filled with meat, typically sausage), hot coffee and cold brew. Its signature glazed do-nuts, famous for their unique hexagon shape that creates a lighter, fluffier texture and a glaze that provides just the right amount of sweetness, are by far the brand’s bestseller"

"We’ve had Georgia on our mind for quite some time at Shipley, and opening our first location in the state is an important milestone for us,” said Shipley CEO Clifton Rutledge. “Ozzie knows this community very well, and we are confident that he’ll create a loyal following for Shipley in Forsyth County.”      

As opposed to Dunkin', where doughnuts are made at at a centralized "baking facility" and trucked in the night before,  do-nuts at Shipley are reportedly made fresh in store each day.  This alone should help separate them from their competitors, like Dunkin’, which in the case of Cumming, operates an existing outpost a stone's throw away.    

ToNeTo Atlanta first reported on Shipley's planned Atlanta area arrival this past April at which point the first area location was to have opened this past fall on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth.  (We reported on the first delay and addition of the Cumming outpost this past December)  This location - 4165 Pleasant Hill Road in a former Taco Bell/Pizza Hut - is still moving forward but has been delayed until late in the second quarter or early in the third quarter of this year, according to a company spokesperson.   

The Duluth location is being opened by Dallas, Texas-based ARFD Foods, LLC, operated by Andrew Robertson and Franklin Diaz, who signed an agreement to open up to 25 Shipley Do-Nuts locations in Georgia. For his part, Rodriguez, operating as Sweet Donuts Investments Inc.,  plans to open a total of five Shipley Do-Nuts locations in the greater Atlanta area in the years to come.      

The 1,510-square-foot Cumming shop features a drive-thru, online ordering and delivery service. Shipley is open from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. 

Have you ever been to Shipley Do-Nuts?  Which Texas impost are you more excited about: Whataburger or Shipley Do-Nuts?  Where else in metro Atlanta would you like to see Shipley Do-Nuts open?  

Please share your thoughts below