Jan. 14, 2021

Inside the new Mr. Donuts, the team of bakers is learning how to make everything that will fill the cases when the store opens next week.

Customers will find a variety of doughnuts when the business opens Friday, Jan. 22 — all made from scratch in the bakery at 1100 S. Minnesota Ave., the former Taco John’s building.

“We have 28 kinds of doughnuts,” co-owner Kim Ueng said. “Normal, raised, long john, bismark, filled jelly, cinnamon rolls, apple fritters. Our signature doughnut is Texas kolache.”

The breakfast pastry, also called pigs in a blanket or sausage roll, is new to Sioux Falls, Ueng said. It’s a sweet dough wrapped around a hot dog-sized cheddar sausage that’s fried and served with mustard or ketchup.

“I think people shouldn’t have to go down all the way to Texas, all the way to California, all the way to down South in order to try kolaches,” Ueng said.

The menu includes other breakfast sandwiches on bagels, croissants and glazed doughnuts.

“We really think that our doughnut is special because it’s not so sweet,” he said. “It’s less sugar. … I want people to be on a diet and still be able to enjoy some doughnuts.”

His goal is to eventually offer a gluten-free doughnut too.

Coffee is another important part of a doughnut shop, and Mr. Donuts will feature beans from Idaho-based Treasure Valley Coffee. The dark roast is a blend of Sumatra and a Vietnamese coffee, Ueng said. The medium is Columbian, and there’s a decaf option. The shop also will serve bubble tea – the Taiwanese drink with pearls of tapioca – in four flavors: strawberry, taro, vanilla and green tea.

Inside, there’s seating for 25 customers, and when the weather is nice, there will be room for more on the patio. For convenience, Ueng kept the drive-up window.

Mr. Donuts will be open from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.