Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle
Josiah Hayden, son of the owner of Parlor Doughnuts, took on his first time managing a Parlor Doughnuts location with business partner Ben Low at a recently opened store on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
“I’ve been involved with 20 plus other locations, helping them open up and train staff and things like that, before I decided to do it on my own,” Hayden said.
Parlor Doughnuts is a new twist on the classic doughnut shop. The decor is inspired by American heritage, featuring red, white and blue and combining cozy vintage aspects with a modern design.
“What we offer doughnut-wise is a little different than the traditional way. We have our famous layered doughnut—layered with butter. It’s a lot more airy than a traditional cake donut,” Low said.
Parlor Doughnuts has been offering its different “Famous Layered Doughnut” since the opening of its first location in Evansville, Indiana in 2019. It comes in various flavors, including french toast, maple bacon, cookies and cream, churro, coconut cream filled and bourbon caramel.
“I’d say it fills you up a lot more, and they’re a lot bigger than what you see normally,” Low said.
Other breakfast items have been added to the menu like acai bowls, avocado toast, breakfast tacos, sandwiches and biscuits. There are gluten-friendly and keto-friendly options too, and any of these items can be paired with a specialty coffee or iced matcha.
“It was great. I got the campfire doughnut, and the service was quick and they were very friendly,” VWU freshman Erynn Turner said.
Hayden said his dad loves America and strongly supports it. This patriotism is evident when walking into Parlor Doughnuts. A love for America and doughnuts collide, from the bald eagle placed in the logo to the American flag and patriotic color scheme. The brown leather seating, gold accents and navy blue and white tiled floorings create the classic feel of a traditional parlor, making it a comfortable place to sit and enjoy a treat.
“We’re big on like having the customers have a parlor experience, so it’s just where the community can come together, have some doughnuts and coffee, hang out and have a good time,” Low said.
Parlor Doughnuts wants to provide customers with more than just a quick place to grab a doughnut. Its decor is inspired by the parlor rooms of old American homes, or what now many consider a living room, where families gather to entertain guests. It is the room families decorate and furnish nicely to be welcoming. Similarly, this environment is what Parlor Doughnuts strives to create for customers, according to its website under the ‘Parlor Story’ tab.
Parlor business partners Josiah Hayden (left) and Ben Low (right) stand proudly at their new location.
Kami Whisenhunt|Marlin Chronicle
“It’s not just like a doughnut shop that’s been there for years and just the same old thing. It’s something new. A lot of people like that,” Hayden said.
Hayden said Parlor Doughnuts is not only passionate about relationship-building within the shop but is driven to support the community from the outside.
“This Christmas, we did a Toys for Tots doughnut, so it was a little bit more expensive than the normal doughnut, and all the proceeds for that went to charity. I think we raised, like, over $30,000 for charity,” Hayden said.
Every Parlor Doughnuts location starts off the day at 4 a.m. in order to serve fresh batches of doughnuts. This early morning shift is called the “fry shift,” according to Hayden.
A staff member comes in, turns on the fryers and starts making the doughnuts so they are fresh for customers when doors open at 6:30 a.m. The frying process is repeated throughout the day when doughnuts start running low. “We like to go above and beyond with our customer service,” Hayden said.
Parlor Doughnuts has two locations in Virginia Beach, one on Virginia Beach Boulevard and the other on Pacific Avenue. There are plans to open several more, according to Hayden. It is looking for people to join in on serving the community with the “Parlor Experience,” with contact information available on the specific location’s website.
The homey atmosphere Parlor Doughnuts creates through design and American pride lets customers slow down and take in their visit, connecting with others. Visitors can grab a treat and sit down and chat, maybe even striking up a conversation with someone new.
You can find Parlor Doughnuts at 3229 Virginia Beach Blvd Suite 100, Virginia Beach, VA 23452, or on their website, parlordoughnuts.com.
By Kami Whisenhunt
kjwhisenhunt@vwu.edu
