Doughnut Plant Suspends Operations Until ‘At Least August’ Due to Pandemic Pressures
It’s not looking good for Doughnut Plant.
The Lower East Side original is amidst a “temporary closure,” which doesn’t typically bode well in the food industry, especially during a pandemic.
The writing may be on the wall based on the doughnut empire’s latest Instagram post: “We are making the difficult but necessary decision today: Our shops will be closed starting tomorrow, Wednesday 7/22, through at least August, to allow us to better understand what is needed to operate in the midst of this pandemic.”
Meanwhile, their website reads,”It’s time for a pause. Our NYC shops are closed. We’ll be back soon!”
Despite operating on temporary hours for pickup and delivery at their four brick and mortar locations across the city, rent isn’t cheap, and pastry can be a tricky sell during lockdown. End of an era?
Doughnut Plant is a Lower East Side success story. Owner Mark Israel founded the company in his Essex Street apartment in 1994. He started by selling his treats to Dean & Deluca and Balducci’s. The neighborhood store at 379 Grand Street followed in 2000; a decade later it annexed the space next door.
In the intervening years, the bakery expanded to include, at one point, six total city locales.
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