New Donut, Chinese Eateries Opening In TC

A national donut shop franchise is opening its first Michigan location on Traverse City’s Front Street, a longtime downtown retailer is closing its doors, and a new Chinese restaurant is coming to the Cherryland Center in The Ticker’s latest look at local business news.

Peace, Love, and Little Donuts
“Feed your inner hippie.” That’s the tongue-in-cheek motto of psychedelic donut chain Peace, Love and Little Donuts, which operates close to two dozen franchise locations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida, Utah, Oregon and Ohio. This fall, the first Michigan location will open at 441 East Front Street in the former Asher Gallery & Framing space next to Sparks BBQ.

Saginaw couple John & Kristina Schnepf, who recently purchased a home in the area, will own and operate the new franchise. “In essence, we offer a made-to-order donut,” explains John of the company concept. “Unlike a traditional bakery or donut shop, you’ll come in and see fresh-made donuts coming off the fryer. You can top them per your specifications. For us, an ‘old’ donut might be an hour old, tops."

Peace, Love and Little Donuts offers 30-40 different varieties, including both traditional flavors (cinnamon sugar, honey glazed) and “funkadelic” options like maple bacon, blueberry pancake, Oreo cookie, and Boston Crème Pie. The “little” in the company’s name reflects the portion sizes. “Most adults aren’t looking for a 6,000 calorie donut,” says John. “They’re looking for a tasty little snack.”

The Schnepfs are partnering with Spence Brothers to reconstruct the space in a beach-themed sixties/seventies motif with turquoise and peach colors. The shop will serve coffee from Traverse City’s Roaster Jack Coffee Company and offer juices and chocolate milk for kids. The couple hopes to open by the first of November.

Meanwhile, Richard Asher of Asher Gallery & Framing will still remain open in the East Front Street building. Asher says he relocated his business down the hallway into a smaller interior space and will continue to offer artwork and custom framing services.

Kay's Apparel and Accessories
After 33 years downtown, Kay’s Apparel and Accessories will close its doors at 219 East Front Street this fall.

Owner Cynthia Glines purchased the women’s clothing and accessories boutique from founder Kay Jerome in 2012 following Jerome’s retirement. Glines says another retirement – that of her husband – and recent staffing challenges at the store led to her decision to close. “It made for a difficult situation,” she says.

Glines doesn’t have a firm closing date set, but says Kay’s will likely remain open through the end of October in order to sell off the rest of the store’s remaining inventory. Existing merchandise is now discounted between 10 and 60 percent off, and new incoming fall items will be similarly marked down, Glines says.

Asian Buffet
A new Chinese restaurant is moving into the Cherryland Center, filling a four-year vacancy in a space previously occupied by another Chinese eatery.

Asian Buffet – which operates several northern Michigan locations, including in Cadillac – is moving into the former King’s Buffet space at 1146 South Airport Road. According to leasing agent Chuck Cherney, the new owners are investing in a costly remodel of the space, “tearing out all the old stuff and putting in everything new.” Renovations are likely to take several months, with Cherney estimating the new restaurant will open “in late winter or early spring.”

Asian Buffet offers a traditional Chinese buffet as well as a sushi bar and hibachi stirfry.

Meanwhile a floor-to-ceiling banner at the Grand Traverse Mall proclaims a fall 2016 opening date for Dick’s Sporting Goods – but mall General Manager Donald Pelland says that window will now likely be pushed back several months. A combination of permit/township approval issues and demolition has “definitely slowed things down,” he says. “To be realistic, the soonest we could have a store open is late spring or early summer (of 2017).”

Construction is also underway on a new building across town in the southwest parking lot of Campus Plaza on East Front Street. According to site plans on file with the city planning department, the building has space for a total of three retail units and will be anchored by a coffee shop. Owner Brad Warren of 45th Parallel Construction Management, which is overseeing construction on the site, did not return requests for comment.