I met up with Joe at ReAnimator in Fishtown in late-February 2017 on a visit down from Brooklyn after a tattoo appointment. He told me he was interested in starting a travel agency for artists, because that is one of the many jobs managers do. He also mentioned that he and Ben had jokingly tossed around the idea of opening a donut shop. He did not ask for my participation, but I told him I’d be up for either gamble.
And a gamble it has been. And still is.
It look a much longer time to get here than we expected it to, but Hello Donuts + Coffee now exists at 2557 Amber St in Kensington, Philadelphia.
We held our Grand Opening on August 17th and 18th to great success through stress, turmoil, and sweat. 132 dozen donuts later, we did it.
We are:
Open seven days a week
50% non-vegan; 50% vegan offerings
Serving a full coffee program in partnership with ReAnimator Coffee
Serving a variety Bellocq Tea blends
Soon we hope to:
Restart wholesaling donuts across Philadelphia to other cafes and restaurants
Add in two new food items: Savories (more soon, hopefully) and Toasts
It was touching to see how many close and extended friends came into the shop in the opening week. Thank you.
There are a lot of expected issues we're dealing with at the start, like production and staffing, but it's been enjoyable to work on new challenges that don't exist in the confines of the music industry. Having a Brick & Mortar business has long been a goal of mine and I feel incredibly lucky to have this first physical retail experience be one centered around hospitality.
I hope to see you in there soon.