Denver doughnut shop — a symbol of pandemic resilience — is closing

To say that Pandemic Donuts single-handedly carried a significant portion of Denver through the COVID-19 pandemic would be an exaggeration. But not by much.

Earlier this week, the owners, Gabrielle Henning and Michael Milton, announced that their doughnut days are over. Pandemic Donuts, which had been operating out of the Queen City Collective Coffee, at 2962 Welton St., since early 2021, will close on Aug. 31, putting an end to a business that became a symbol of resilience in the restaurant industry.

“Almost 6 years ago, we started Pandemic Donuts in the middle of an uncertain world, thinking it might be a small side project. Instead, it turned into something much bigger than we could have imagined — a community, a family, and a place where we poured our hearts into every dozen,” Henning and Milton wrote in a post on Instagram.

“We’ve shared early mornings, sugar-covered aprons, laughs over coffee, and countless moments with so many of you who supported us through it all. You kept us going through the highs and lows, and we will never stop being grateful for that.

“Thank you for showing up, for cheering us on, for telling your friends, and for making this dream so much sweeter than we could have ever baked up on our own. We’ll carry these memories — and probably a lifetime supply of sprinkles — with us forever,” they concluded.

Founded in 2020, shortly after the pandemic began, by Henning and Milton — Henning is a pastry chef — who had both been laid off from their jobs due to social distancing rules in the hospitality industry, Pandemic Donuts featured gorgeous-looking treats in wild flavors like Maple Glaze, PB+J, Honey Pistachio, Rootbeer Float and Red Velvet. They were one of several businesses and foods that went viral on social media during the pandemic.

They began by making six flavors a day and offering pickup service at their apartment or delivery, satisfying the sweet tooths of people looking for joy in what had become a very dark world. Then they expanded to Queen City and eventually to farmers markets and elsewhere.

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *