DG Doughnuts relocates to Ocoee

It starts with the perfect bite of a doughnut. 

A huge portion of hand rolled dough in a wide array of flavors finished off with just the right amount of icing and beautifully unique decorations placed with care. 

DG Doughnuts has come a long way since it first opened more than five years ago. 

Now, Dave Hancock and Amanda Eubanks are reaping the benefits of their dedication to serve the West Orange community’s hearts and stomachs. 

OCOEE OCCUPATION

DG Doughnuts recently made the move from its humble home in Oakland to a new and bigger one in the heart of Ocoee. 

The area is extra special to Eubanks, who grew up in the city. Her dad, who died a few years ago, came to the building every day for coffee when it used to be the Ocoee Cafe. She also took her son, Brian, there frequently. 

“It really is a special feeling being back here,” she said. “The hope is to bring people to downtown Ocoee. The other small businesses here are really ready for it. They’re passionate about it, and even the city is really encouraging and helpful with the growth.” 

It almost seems like fate for the family to return. They actually didn’t have their sights set on the property, but someone called them about the lease first. 

DG had been looking for a larger location for the past few years but was forced to delay that step because of the pandemic.

“It took a long time, but here we are and it was definitely worth the wait,” Eubanks said. 

The shop hosted a soft opening April 10 and immediately sold out in the first few hours — the same as its last day in Oakland. 

Since then, the trend has continued, with people coming from near and far to try the enormous confections.

Eubanks said the business has sold out of doughnuts every day since the opening. 

She said the Oakland location always was busy and typically sold about seven to eight batches — 525 to 640 doughnuts — on Saturdays, its busiest day. 

On Thursday in Ocoee, the business made 13 batches — 975 to 1,040 doughnuts — and sold out before 3 p.m. 

SUGARY START

Eubanks and Hancock were both working at 4 Rivers Smokehouse when they began selling doughnuts. 

The business was born in a home kitchen in Longwood, which delivered to the Greater Orlando area. 

The pair then made a switch to the Lakefront Farmer’s Market at Summerport Village, when Shanny Rios started the market. 

Rios asked Eubanks, who formerly owned Amanda’s Cakery on Plant Street in Winter Garden, to bring sweets. 

The doughnuts even sold out in just hours there, prompting the owners to create their Facebook page.

Moving to Oakland happened by chance. 

Eubanks and Hancock said it was no longer possible to bring enough doughnuts to the market — they sold out evert time. 

Then, a friend from the Winter Garden Farmers Market called Eubanks in April 2017 and told her about a 300-square-foot kitchen in a Chevron gas station in Oakland.

“Everyone was still so excited and would make the trip from the market out to see us, so we were able to keep most of those relationships and then also build new ones,” she said. 

Looking back on how far the business has come is surreal. 

“It’s wonderful, but it’s also honestly crazy,” Eubanks said. “I never would have thought we would be where we are today.”

TASTY TRIP

The family still lives in Altamonte, where Brian is attending school, but now that he is 18, the pair hopes to return to Ocoee. 

The business is enjoying its newly renovated space, which includes more than triple the square footage, seating, a patio, and a new oven and refrigerator. 

In the future, Eubanks said the goal is to “not sell out of doughnuts so early.”

“Just today we were like, ‘OK. How can we make more?’” she said. “We had this idea of maybe adding on a mid-day doughnut shift so that way we can stay open later.”

The shop currently does most of its doughnut-making throughout the night until about 7 a.m.

The business also is looking at slowly integrating baked goods such as muffins, cookies, brownies and bars. 

Yet another special new feature is the coffee. Customers can choose from Lavazza Italian espressos, lattes, cortados, cappuccinos, americanos, macchiatos, doppios and more.

Another thought the pair has been discussing is the idea of savory breakfast rolls with cheese and breakfast meats. 

The pair said the community’s support is all the inspiration it needs to keep growing.

“That means more than anything honestly,” Eubanks said. “From the beginning, we knew we wanted to not only make delicious doughnuts but also make customer service and getting to know people a top priority. Hopefully, we really show that in our business every day.”

DG Doughnuts is planning for an official grand opening in the next few weeks. 

DG DOUGHNUTS

29 W. McKey St.

Phone: (407) 614-8609

Email: [email protected]