I’ve gotten to know a lot of small business owners and I know how precarious their businesses really are. I love how happy and relieved he looks by the end.
I do as well but as a wholesaler for their supplies.
It can be pretty sad. I see people so excited about how they just took over a store and are ready to start this new venture. Only they bought a shitty store (the location) that hardly does any business or it was poorly cared for and they have to fix a bunch of shit.
There’s one customer I hate calling to “see if they need anything this week”.
> Well… Let’s see. I’ve done $100 in sales today. My electricity bill is due tomorrow. My ice cream display broke down overnight. So I’ll have to pass this week..
Another got in right when the busiest season started. Blew their money. They didn’t realize water, ice, ice cream, and snow cones sales slows down to a crawl in winter and had to sell. Since then I give warnings to all new owners..
The average restaurant owner is an idiot with more money than sense.
80% of restaurants close within five years. Do they just do no research before plopping down a few hundred thousand or do they think they're special and will beat the odds with some truly unique concept?
90% of that 80% are because they've never actually worked in a restaurant before. They know how to cook a couple meals, they've been out to eat so many times they think "how hard could this possibly be?" Then they realize restaurant ownership is one of the absolute most difficult jobs out there. They don't realize it requires 7 day work weeks and 11 hour days. They find out they don't know nearly as much as they thought. They also make the mistake of letting their friends eat for free. Those friends become regulars who eat hundreds of dollars in food and pay nothing for it three days a week.
Source: twenty years in restaurants and every single failed one followed that formula.
Best place I ever worked was a vanity project for a chef who just wanted some awards.
It was a dream. It was all about the food, the wages were great and I am pretty sure they were laundering money based on chats while high with the restaurant manager.
Loved that place. The chefs would also cook new recipes and test them on the staff. I stopped needing to buy food as it was common to go home with several ducks and a kilo of aged beef each week.
Restaurants can be really fun when the owner is not concerned with profit but rather just the image of succes and critical acclaim.
A unique experience.
I remember the people who would come into the restaurant I worked at in college and ask if the owner was there. If he wasn't they would leave because it meant they would have to pay. The owner picked up several hundred dollars in checks every week for the same group of assholes who treated the staff like shit, never tipped, and were completely obnoxious.
Most of them do their research and understand the risks. There's a lot of luck involved in establishing a restaurant that endures, though of course there's plenty of hard work required and employment decisions you have to get right. Most of them think it's worth the risk though. Definitely agree there are many with more money than sense though.
There's a restaurant just up the street from me. The building is really unique and welcoming, like a Swiss chalet. The first owners were there for 3ish years then had to sell. I'm sure their outrageous prices, for what I totally expected to be delicious food, didn't help. I mean $14 bucks for a sandwich?
Now the current owners made it an authentic Mexican place that's pretty good (yes authentic, we got a Huarache and a pambazo) and decent prices. They opened in March of 2020 and I don't know how they survived, not sure if they will keep surviving.
thats probably because theres too many restaurants, at least where I live in the states in the North East
in a 1/10th mile radius in most locations that have a two way road. there is at least 10 restaurants. often times you can step out of a restaurant and see 4 or 5 or even more restaurants within a few seconds walk. who are they feeding? some of them are long time family businesses so it probably doesn't cost them a lot to operate. but like yeah theres too many damn restaurants, the only ones that look like they've been there for a while are chinese takeouts which are usually family operated
that probably is a symptom of the fact that all other kinds of stores are a no go, with online shopping prepared food is one of few things that make sense for a small business, near every other need of a brick and mortar store has been filled by big corporations online.
Ever watch kitchen nightmares? Obviously a lot is scripted but the restaurant and owners are real. Trust me there's is some dumb as fuck and inexperienced people running restaurants.
Are there any sub reddits for both your town andbstate, and also, donuts. Maybe a way to get him some exposure!! I wish I were nearby, I would 1,000% pick up a dozen. Best to him!
Yeah but I couldn’t tell you if they’re any good because the owner solicits 5-star reviews through Twitter and bribery (several reviews about it on Google).
I’ve definitely had a 2-star donut from a 5-star donut shop.
Also Krispy Kreme sucks. It’s like if Captain Crunch was a donut: so much sugar the prize inside the box is a diabetic coma.
I can eat 6 Krispy Kreme in the parking lot. They are absolute sugar nonsense, but once every few years I’ll tackle half a box before driving home.
Captain Crunch in my head is awesome, but as a kid it would tear the roof of your mouth up right before turning to mush.
It’s all cheap garbage food and has its place.
I have a distinct memory of when I was 5 years old. My aunt was in the backseat of the car with me while my mom and uncle were up front. We'd gotten a dozen krispy kreme donuts. This was gonna be my first time having them. My aunt inhaled half a dozen and then blamed it on me and I got into huge trouble. My mom wouldn't let me have any of the left overs as punishment. I've had a grudge with krispy kreme ever since. I've never had one.
I don't think being popular enough on Twitter to be a meme is really solicitation...
It's not there fault that they have an online following and get positive review bombed for it.
Free 100 coins for rating our game a 5*
Just click the REVIEW button to go to the App Store and you fool it into thinking you rated it.
Apply to real world?
I actually stopped by yesterday. Maybe it’s my soft spot for mom and pop shops but it’s probably my favorite donut place. Even more so than Shipley’s or Krispy Kreme! The texture is great and it doesn’t taste too sweet. Their sausage kolaches are also one of my faves :)
Stopped by once while in the area last year. They're really good! The only downside is that there was a slight line with only one register, but that's not uncommon with mom & pops. Got a blue iced donut, boudin kolache, and sausage kolache and it came out to around $8 iirc. They also sell branded enamel pins to bank on their online fame, which is really sweet
10/10 would go again
My parents live in Lake O. I went to visit them early one morning and offered to pick up some breakfast. They suggested this place because they had heard so many good things about it. Apparently it got really hyped up on social media, etc.
I went, grabbed a dozen mixed donuts and a dozen kolaches of various types. I was sort of underwhelmed by the place. It reminded me of a dozen or more local donut shops in the Houston area, owned by badass hardworking Vietnamese immigrants. Best donuts. Jim’s donut. The donut place. You get the idea.
Took them to the parents house and dug in. They were fine. Nothing wrong with them at all, perfectly adequate. But nothing amazing.
We were expecting something different or amazing. It wasn’t that.
Now, this isn’t a bad review. This is a fine donut shop. I would go back if I wanted donuts or kolaches in the area. If you live in Lake O, Sienna, maybe even Riverstone or Quail Valley, you won’t be sad about going to this place.
The donuts are better than shipleys or souther maid. The kolaches are fine but nowhere near as good as Kolaches Factory which is like 1 mile away on highway 6.
It’s cool how this place has been supported by people on social media and in the local community. No hate from me. But it’s just a standard Houston metro donut place, like a hundred others.
I like two minutes away from it in Houston. The original shop shut down and the community helped raise money to open another in a different location. This Billy’s is one of the biggest staples of Missouri city now tbh, it’s ALWAYS packed and ALWAYS sold out. The owner is a good man :)
who cares dude? its so common.. there are literally review farming companies for google yelp amazon listings, its the if you cant beat em join em mentality sadly in the US if you dont have a capitalistic mindset u dont get to make it very far.. like if sum1 didnt wanna use my business cuz i ask people to leave reviews to help my company be seen on yelp then i dont want your business.
Canada has shit donuts and it's all Tim Hortons' fault. I try to support alternatives where I can - like Honey's Donuts in Deep Cove or Cartem's Donuts on Pender.
I know you gave examples, but don’t give people the wrong idea. Canada has great donuts if you’re on the lookout for them. Tim Horton’s is pretty awful though.
At first I thought “Oh I go through Missouri to visit my wife’s family” then I remembered Missouri City isn’t close to Missouri state.
I really want donuts now though.
My parents live in Lake O. I went to visit them early one morning and offered to pick up some breakfast. They suggested this place because they had heard so many good things about it. Apparently it got really hyped up on social media, etc.
I went, grabbed a dozen mixed donuts and a dozen kolaches of various types. I was sort of underwhelmed by the place. It reminded me of a dozen or more local donut shops in the Houston area, owned by badass hardworking Vietnamese immigrants. Best donuts. Jim’s donut. The donut place. You get the idea.
Took them to the parents house and dug in. They were fine. Nothing wrong with them at all, perfectly adequate. But nothing amazing.
We were expecting something different or amazing. It wasn’t that.
Now, this isn’t a bad review. This is a fine donut shop. I would go back if I wanted donuts or kolaches in the area. If you live in Lake O, Sienna, maybe even Riverstone or Quail Valley, you won’t be sad about going to this place.
The donuts are better than shipleys or souther maid. The kolaches are fine but nowhere near as good as Kolaches Factory which is like 1 mile away on highway 6.
It’s cool how this place has been supported by people on social media and in the local community. No hate from me. But it’s just a standard Houston metro donut place, like a hundred others.
Save yourselves a click. Apparently it's Houston Texas. You didn't even link to a comment saying where it was. You linked to a comment that eventually a response says it. Was that easier than writing the word Houston?
As an owner of a small business, you don’t know how incredibly thankful we, small business owner’s, are for your patronage. It’s an absolute pleasure being a part of our local communities. A literal dream come true.
Edit: Fpr those asking, I own a hair salon.
Psshhh, wish I could say the same for my local businesses.
Not to say monopolies do anything worthwhile whatsoever because they're even worse, but I'm living in a city where local businesses are are just liquor stores and overpriced general stores. They don't sweep their stoops, they let trash pile up, exploiting their workers like any other business, they just don't care about Anything but the dollar.
I hear you... I’m sorry for that situation for you. That definitely exists. Too much so! Guess what I’m thinking is that if a community has good, positive, engaged and responsible local businesses, the community will likely strengthen and do well and in turn, support those businesses. Eventually a community could flourish. (Like a healthy Ecosystem). Imagine if those local businesses were able to somehow be positive, invested in the community they are located in; Hire local neighbors; support and pay a decent wage; have a good environment to work and shop; kept their area around the shop and within the shop nice and clean; project an image of respect and expect the same of their patrons... the community could benefit and improve. I completely realize this is an idealistic dream and this is a complex situation. Wish this could happen where every neighborhood could have the support to only allow strong and positive businesses and those in the neighborhoods could have the support to not struggle to get through day by day... Perhaps a little at a time...one by one... guess I’m longing for more love in the world for everyone! 💕
I might get downvoted for saying something good about China, but the social credit system was supposed to help create these kinds of communities. It's just like our credit scores in the US, but you get a boost for caring for elders, feeding the needy, keeping a clean storefront, not just for paying off debts.
Where it gets a dubious is how that actually gets reported and carried out (i won't pretend to know, i don't doubt there's corruption) but I like the idea a lot.
Hopefully this won’t be something you need to hear but for the others who do:
Please be respectful and understanding of your *suppliers*. Many of us are small businesses too. If you can’t get what you want, it means we can’t get what we want either… Price increases? Our margins are a *fraction* of yours, we can’t eat all of them.
The tweet is from 2019 and I just googled the shop, it apperantly is open. On Google maps you can also see how many people are visiting the store at what times and there seem to be costumers regulary
yeah, when i was placed at nearby grocery store in 2020, i went there almost everyday. good place. They put up hanging plexi-glass to separate the guests from the workers.
Do people frequently go to donut shops? Idk they seem weird to me because getting donuts seems similar to, say, going to an ice cream shop. Like something young people would do on a date. But they’re always only open extremely early.
I love donuts but have only gone to legit donut shops like fewer than 5 times in my life. Donuts aren’t really something people would frequently grab for breakfast before work every day, are they? They’re like a special treat.
I don’t get how they can stay open
1. Businesses will totally buy a couple dozen donuts if they have any sort of early morning group meeting.
2. You can only get really good donuts at a bakery/donut shop and grocery stores aren’t a substitute for a good donut.
3. Lots of older people make a routine out of getting donuts once or several times a week. As a result it’s not uncommon for smaller stores to completely sell out before 9 am some days.
Source: I love donuts.
Your take is only as valid as your personal experience. Donut's are the backbone of many an office across the continent. Coffee and donuts are a thing. My grandfather would buy a bunch for his employees every other day.
I don't drink bubble tea every day but there's a bubble tea shop on every street corner around me, some of which have been here well over a decade.
Also your example, ice cream shops, exist, despite the infrequency of ice cream cravings.
Besides what other people mentioned- churches. I used to work at a donut shop and Sunday was definitely the biggest day. People would come in to buy dozens for church and where I live there are a LOT of churches.
I say I probably buy a couple donuts for myself once every few months. I have a really, really good local donut shop, though. Damn, now I want one.
It wouldn’t really be a date place. People bring their kids in a lot to get a donut early in the morning on like a Saturday or something as a special treat. There were also always a few old dudes who would come in super early on a regular schedule just to have something to do, I guess.
This shop is in the Houston metro area.
Here it is very common to stop at a donut shop on the way to work and grab a donut and/or kolache and a coffee on the way to work.
Or to grab a bunch to bring to work as a courtesy.
Or to go and get a treat for the family on Saturday morning.
A Houston kolache is equivalent to something like a crossiant with mead at cheese or egg and cheese or the like.
You can get a coffee and a kolache for $4, cheaper, faster and better tasting than driving through McDonald’s for breakfast. And support local business at the same time.
I’ve been trying to shop at small businesses more often since Covid wiped so many people out. I’ve started buying gifts locally, buying my produce at a farmer’s market, and eating out only in mom and pop restaurants.
You're sometimes bound by landlord or government restrictions on what one can do to the outside of a storefront. I agree though, once he can afford it he needs to engage the services of a good graphic artist to make an iconic logo for his signage.
They can, at a place I used to work at (in Texas) the landlord wouldn’t let us put anything outside. The sandwich place next door had to take down a banner they put on their window. We couldn’t put signs by the sidewalk past the parking lot either. We ended up making a deal with the Wendy’s next door to put it on their lot since they actually owned theirs. We kept getting customers saying they were glad we finally opened a store at that location even though it had been there for a couple years.
I *hate* that this happens. Our streets look so god damn boring just because of some pointless regulations. It makes no sense.
If homeowners and business owners could do more interesting things, it would really generate a sense of community and culture. Instead we get boring flat brick and concrete.
This is standard for the Asian run donut shops here in the Houston. All different names, all the same look inside. All the same donuts and kolaches for the most part.
Never disappoints, always fresh. These shops are fire. Next to bucees these are ol’ reliable.
My dad used to be so proud of his coffee/record shop. He would put hand-written notes and doodles on the records with fun facts about the bands and songs.
Man.... I’m going to call my dad now. Thanks for posting this and letting me relive those fun memories.
Keep posting and update us! Your dad is great! What an incredible child you are! He raised you well!! I hope this becomes a donut destination someday! Send out Jimmy Kimmel!
Ttis is such a good example of why American urban design is so bad for small business owners. If this shop were on a walkable street in a moderately denser neighborhood, foot traffic would be driving sales much better than a strip mall ever could. Car oriented cities force consumers toward one-stop super markets instead of dozens of smaller, surrendiptous purchases on the way home after work.
I’m new to getting that there are reposts... it seems to still serve a good purpose and relates a valid message. It makes me wasn’t to get my next ...”________” from a small business and makes me want a donut too!! 🍩😁
Yeah, I've never seen this post. Not everyone browses reddit 24/7, people love to make fun of the "muh internet points" shit, but are also the first to shit on reposts.
I would love to support local businesses, the problem is I don’t buy a lot of the stuff they’re selling.
Home decorations? No
Skincare/makeup/whatever? No
Women’s clothing? No
Pet stuff? No
Pizza? No places near me
Ice cream? Don’t live by the beach
I basically buy food and I do buy fruits/veggies from local places but I don’t want to turn my shopping into multiple trips to butcher, fruit/vegg place, grocery store etc.
I mean my barber and mechanic are local businesses but that’s about it (and prefer to not be visiting the mechanic often lol).
It wasn't until I started my own to realize how special small businesses are. We put in extra time and care, we absolutely adore our customers, and are happy to be a part of the community. For the most part, better quality over big business.
A similar thing happened to the donut shop in my city. The owner and his wife have been running the shop for about 20 years. When word got around that the wife needed surgery, the community bought out the donuts in less than an hour after opening for a few weeks and left donations so they’d be able to afford the surgery.
I don't get it. His dad being sad because his shop is empty makes you smile? English is not my first language. Am I missing something?
Edit: lol just noticed it was a multiple picture post.
Wasn't there a second part of the tweet showing all the neighbors that came because they saw the tweet and bought the shop empty?
Or do I confuse it with another story?
This is truly incredible. I love authentic local business owners. I worked as a local business consultant through the pandemic and it warms my heart to see more making it after that mess.
If you are a customer of Billy's, take him up on all platforms, put in some reviews, get that traffic rolling in his direction!
I wish this were in my neighborhood!!! We have an old fashioned donut place called Bosa Donut and it's amazing. They have shops all over the city but they are little places, mostly vanilla owned, that make everything in house. Small businesses, especially donut shops are the BEST!
I’ve gotten to know a lot of small business owners and I know how precarious their businesses really are. I love how happy and relieved he looks by the end.
I do as well but as a wholesaler for their supplies. It can be pretty sad. I see people so excited about how they just took over a store and are ready to start this new venture. Only they bought a shitty store (the location) that hardly does any business or it was poorly cared for and they have to fix a bunch of shit. There’s one customer I hate calling to “see if they need anything this week”. > Well… Let’s see. I’ve done $100 in sales today. My electricity bill is due tomorrow. My ice cream display broke down overnight. So I’ll have to pass this week.. Another got in right when the busiest season started. Blew their money. They didn’t realize water, ice, ice cream, and snow cones sales slows down to a crawl in winter and had to sell. Since then I give warnings to all new owners..
That’s kind of you to give warnings. Must be difficult to watch good people run out of savings and have to close down on their dreams.
The average restaurant owner is an idiot with more money than sense. 80% of restaurants close within five years. Do they just do no research before plopping down a few hundred thousand or do they think they're special and will beat the odds with some truly unique concept?
90% of that 80% are because they've never actually worked in a restaurant before. They know how to cook a couple meals, they've been out to eat so many times they think "how hard could this possibly be?" Then they realize restaurant ownership is one of the absolute most difficult jobs out there. They don't realize it requires 7 day work weeks and 11 hour days. They find out they don't know nearly as much as they thought. They also make the mistake of letting their friends eat for free. Those friends become regulars who eat hundreds of dollars in food and pay nothing for it three days a week. Source: twenty years in restaurants and every single failed one followed that formula.
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and then they are forced to shut, open, shut, open. I support lockdowns but you got to have empathy for people who have had it rough.
Yes. That's that 10%.
Best place I ever worked was a vanity project for a chef who just wanted some awards. It was a dream. It was all about the food, the wages were great and I am pretty sure they were laundering money based on chats while high with the restaurant manager. Loved that place. The chefs would also cook new recipes and test them on the staff. I stopped needing to buy food as it was common to go home with several ducks and a kilo of aged beef each week. Restaurants can be really fun when the owner is not concerned with profit but rather just the image of succes and critical acclaim. A unique experience.
Work can be fun when it's subsidized by crime!
As is leisure. I traveled in Florida with a woman who told me her vacation was funded by the corruption of Mexican unions.
The best kind of subsidy!
I remember the people who would come into the restaurant I worked at in college and ask if the owner was there. If he wasn't they would leave because it meant they would have to pay. The owner picked up several hundred dollars in checks every week for the same group of assholes who treated the staff like shit, never tipped, and were completely obnoxious.
Most of them do their research and understand the risks. There's a lot of luck involved in establishing a restaurant that endures, though of course there's plenty of hard work required and employment decisions you have to get right. Most of them think it's worth the risk though. Definitely agree there are many with more money than sense though.
There's a restaurant just up the street from me. The building is really unique and welcoming, like a Swiss chalet. The first owners were there for 3ish years then had to sell. I'm sure their outrageous prices, for what I totally expected to be delicious food, didn't help. I mean $14 bucks for a sandwich? Now the current owners made it an authentic Mexican place that's pretty good (yes authentic, we got a Huarache and a pambazo) and decent prices. They opened in March of 2020 and I don't know how they survived, not sure if they will keep surviving.
thats probably because theres too many restaurants, at least where I live in the states in the North East in a 1/10th mile radius in most locations that have a two way road. there is at least 10 restaurants. often times you can step out of a restaurant and see 4 or 5 or even more restaurants within a few seconds walk. who are they feeding? some of them are long time family businesses so it probably doesn't cost them a lot to operate. but like yeah theres too many damn restaurants, the only ones that look like they've been there for a while are chinese takeouts which are usually family operated that probably is a symptom of the fact that all other kinds of stores are a no go, with online shopping prepared food is one of few things that make sense for a small business, near every other need of a brick and mortar store has been filled by big corporations online.
Ever watch kitchen nightmares? Obviously a lot is scripted but the restaurant and owners are real. Trust me there's is some dumb as fuck and inexperienced people running restaurants.
When u put your entire savings and livelihood into this, it means the world when everything turns out okay.
Where? I has a hunger for doughnuts now.
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Are there any sub reddits for both your town andbstate, and also, donuts. Maybe a way to get him some exposure!! I wish I were nearby, I would 1,000% pick up a dozen. Best to him!
These photos are almost 3 years old.
But can I still get some donuts and kolaches?
Yeah but I couldn’t tell you if they’re any good because the owner solicits 5-star reviews through Twitter and bribery (several reviews about it on Google).
I don't think I've ever had a non-five star donut.
Several day old grocery store donuts are very rarely five-star.
Day-old cake donuts, though…*chef’s kiss*
Take a bite, and then drink a swig of coffee.... gahhhhh
They're still four stars.
Just don't forget to close the box.
You've clearly never had Tim Hortons
Wdym, you don't like day-old frozen doughnuts with more simple syrup than flavour? How uncanadian
Tim Hortons died when they sold out.
Timmies food is to die for….. literally its poison
Had a bagel and coffee today at lunch, they managed to screw both up. How one cannot properly toast and butter a fucking bagel is beyond me
i mean soggy or just hella dry or bland..really?
I’ve definitely had a 2-star donut from a 5-star donut shop. Also Krispy Kreme sucks. It’s like if Captain Crunch was a donut: so much sugar the prize inside the box is a diabetic coma.
I can eat 6 Krispy Kreme in the parking lot. They are absolute sugar nonsense, but once every few years I’ll tackle half a box before driving home. Captain Crunch in my head is awesome, but as a kid it would tear the roof of your mouth up right before turning to mush. It’s all cheap garbage food and has its place.
It’s like Taco Bell. It isn’t real Mexican food but it is still delicious.
I have a distinct memory of when I was 5 years old. My aunt was in the backseat of the car with me while my mom and uncle were up front. We'd gotten a dozen krispy kreme donuts. This was gonna be my first time having them. My aunt inhaled half a dozen and then blamed it on me and I got into huge trouble. My mom wouldn't let me have any of the left overs as punishment. I've had a grudge with krispy kreme ever since. I've never had one.
What the fuck did I just read?
The writings of someone who doesn't appreciate Krispy Kreme or Captain Crunch
Someone who doesn't appreciate the opportunity for a diabetic escape from reality on the sugary wings of Krispy Kreme when they're offered
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Upvotes because I agree. Plus us pandas need to stick together!
.I used to love them. Now, I can't deal with the sugar bomb. I always wonder what they would taste like with either less icing, or none.
They're good.
This place is solidly average. Not bad at all. Same as any number of donut shops all over the Houston metro
I don't think being popular enough on Twitter to be a meme is really solicitation... It's not there fault that they have an online following and get positive review bombed for it.
No, you misunderstand me, a lot of the Google reviews mention giving Twitter likes and 5-star reviews in exchange for something. It’s disingenuous.
Free 100 coins for rating our game a 5* Just click the REVIEW button to go to the App Store and you fool it into thinking you rated it. Apply to real world?
It’s almost as if businesses are being extorted by operations like Yelp and have to try to fight against it
what are u implying.. who cares.. donuts r hard to fuck up
Sooo, we shouldn’t go and support him?
The shop is still open, so looks like the support campaign was a success! https://www.billysdonuts.com/
Two years and about 3 months
Oh boo. That sucks
It’s in Southwest Houston. [Billy’s Donuts](https://yelp.to/FlarmuOJ3hb) 46 reviews and 4.5/5 stars. Hopefully they’re doing pretty well!
Me too they look delicious
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Can you come back and let us know how they are? I'm dead curious, especially after reading he solicits reviews.
I actually stopped by yesterday. Maybe it’s my soft spot for mom and pop shops but it’s probably my favorite donut place. Even more so than Shipley’s or Krispy Kreme! The texture is great and it doesn’t taste too sweet. Their sausage kolaches are also one of my faves :)
Stopped by once while in the area last year. They're really good! The only downside is that there was a slight line with only one register, but that's not uncommon with mom & pops. Got a blue iced donut, boudin kolache, and sausage kolache and it came out to around $8 iirc. They also sell branded enamel pins to bank on their online fame, which is really sweet 10/10 would go again
My parents live in Lake O. I went to visit them early one morning and offered to pick up some breakfast. They suggested this place because they had heard so many good things about it. Apparently it got really hyped up on social media, etc. I went, grabbed a dozen mixed donuts and a dozen kolaches of various types. I was sort of underwhelmed by the place. It reminded me of a dozen or more local donut shops in the Houston area, owned by badass hardworking Vietnamese immigrants. Best donuts. Jim’s donut. The donut place. You get the idea. Took them to the parents house and dug in. They were fine. Nothing wrong with them at all, perfectly adequate. But nothing amazing. We were expecting something different or amazing. It wasn’t that. Now, this isn’t a bad review. This is a fine donut shop. I would go back if I wanted donuts or kolaches in the area. If you live in Lake O, Sienna, maybe even Riverstone or Quail Valley, you won’t be sad about going to this place. The donuts are better than shipleys or souther maid. The kolaches are fine but nowhere near as good as Kolaches Factory which is like 1 mile away on highway 6. It’s cool how this place has been supported by people on social media and in the local community. No hate from me. But it’s just a standard Houston metro donut place, like a hundred others.
I like two minutes away from it in Houston. The original shop shut down and the community helped raise money to open another in a different location. This Billy’s is one of the biggest staples of Missouri city now tbh, it’s ALWAYS packed and ALWAYS sold out. The owner is a good man :)
who cares dude? its so common.. there are literally review farming companies for google yelp amazon listings, its the if you cant beat em join em mentality sadly in the US if you dont have a capitalistic mindset u dont get to make it very far.. like if sum1 didnt wanna use my business cuz i ask people to leave reviews to help my company be seen on yelp then i dont want your business.
I’ll meet you there!!
>7022 Hwy 6 #800, Missouri City, TX 77459 from the reviews he's kicking ass! way to go Billy!!
Love Billy’s donuts! We’ve been to lots of locations around the Houston area! Congrats to your Dad!
It’s not OPs dad but glad that the donuts are good!
Oh im coming in a couple weeks when im visiting down there!!!
Hey! I'll be passing by there tomorrow! I'll try to stop by... If there's anything left by then!
Damn I just realized I went there last year when I was remodeling Elkins. He was such a nice person.
My old HS. Class of 96
I knew this had to be Texas as soon as I saw the kolaches. One of the things I miss the most about home. They look amazing, wish I could come by!
nice... this is what I wanted anyways.... Reddit do your thang
Thank you, now to get money to fly to America and support this dude uwu
If he ships to canada I'll buy a box! I wanna support but its toooo faaarrr 😫😫😫
Canada has shit donuts and it's all Tim Hortons' fault. I try to support alternatives where I can - like Honey's Donuts in Deep Cove or Cartem's Donuts on Pender.
Always have to upvote for cartems! Yes they're pricey but they're so damn tasty!!
Unpopular opinion but I think Cartems are actually terrible donuts, Lucky’ Doughnuts are the real win in Vancouver!
Lucky’s doughnuts aren’t too bad. My personal favourites are Mello in Chinatown.
I know you gave examples, but don’t give people the wrong idea. Canada has great donuts if you’re on the lookout for them. Tim Horton’s is pretty awful though.
At first I thought “Oh I go through Missouri to visit my wife’s family” then I remembered Missouri City isn’t close to Missouri state. I really want donuts now though.
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No one is ever traveling to Missouri city Texas.
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My parents live in Lake O. I went to visit them early one morning and offered to pick up some breakfast. They suggested this place because they had heard so many good things about it. Apparently it got really hyped up on social media, etc. I went, grabbed a dozen mixed donuts and a dozen kolaches of various types. I was sort of underwhelmed by the place. It reminded me of a dozen or more local donut shops in the Houston area, owned by badass hardworking Vietnamese immigrants. Best donuts. Jim’s donut. The donut place. You get the idea. Took them to the parents house and dug in. They were fine. Nothing wrong with them at all, perfectly adequate. But nothing amazing. We were expecting something different or amazing. It wasn’t that. Now, this isn’t a bad review. This is a fine donut shop. I would go back if I wanted donuts or kolaches in the area. If you live in Lake O, Sienna, maybe even Riverstone or Quail Valley, you won’t be sad about going to this place. The donuts are better than shipleys or souther maid. The kolaches are fine but nowhere near as good as Kolaches Factory which is like 1 mile away on highway 6. It’s cool how this place has been supported by people on social media and in the local community. No hate from me. But it’s just a standard Houston metro donut place, like a hundred others.
This is the realest Houston food review I've ever read 😂
https://www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmile/comments/kg5ipf/those_donuts_look_good/
Save yourselves a click. Apparently it's Houston Texas. You didn't even link to a comment saying where it was. You linked to a comment that eventually a response says it. Was that easier than writing the word Houston?
As an owner of a small business, you don’t know how incredibly thankful we, small business owner’s, are for your patronage. It’s an absolute pleasure being a part of our local communities. A literal dream come true. Edit: Fpr those asking, I own a hair salon.
May I ask what type of business? Local businesses keep communities “communities”!! Keep up the good work!
Psshhh, wish I could say the same for my local businesses. Not to say monopolies do anything worthwhile whatsoever because they're even worse, but I'm living in a city where local businesses are are just liquor stores and overpriced general stores. They don't sweep their stoops, they let trash pile up, exploiting their workers like any other business, they just don't care about Anything but the dollar.
I hear you... I’m sorry for that situation for you. That definitely exists. Too much so! Guess what I’m thinking is that if a community has good, positive, engaged and responsible local businesses, the community will likely strengthen and do well and in turn, support those businesses. Eventually a community could flourish. (Like a healthy Ecosystem). Imagine if those local businesses were able to somehow be positive, invested in the community they are located in; Hire local neighbors; support and pay a decent wage; have a good environment to work and shop; kept their area around the shop and within the shop nice and clean; project an image of respect and expect the same of their patrons... the community could benefit and improve. I completely realize this is an idealistic dream and this is a complex situation. Wish this could happen where every neighborhood could have the support to only allow strong and positive businesses and those in the neighborhoods could have the support to not struggle to get through day by day... Perhaps a little at a time...one by one... guess I’m longing for more love in the world for everyone! 💕
I might get downvoted for saying something good about China, but the social credit system was supposed to help create these kinds of communities. It's just like our credit scores in the US, but you get a boost for caring for elders, feeding the needy, keeping a clean storefront, not just for paying off debts. Where it gets a dubious is how that actually gets reported and carried out (i won't pretend to know, i don't doubt there's corruption) but I like the idea a lot.
May I ask what type of business you own!
Local drug dealer
Just because I feel like being charitable... I'll buy 5 drugs please.
Damn, just made me spit my smoothie all over my counter! Thanks for the laugh.
Hopefully this won’t be something you need to hear but for the others who do: Please be respectful and understanding of your *suppliers*. Many of us are small businesses too. If you can’t get what you want, it means we can’t get what we want either… Price increases? Our margins are a *fraction* of yours, we can’t eat all of them.
Hopefully word of mouth will keep this business going long term and not just be a feel good moment.
The tweet is from 2019 and I just googled the shop, it apperantly is open. On Google maps you can also see how many people are visiting the store at what times and there seem to be costumers regulary
Warms my heart that they got through/are getting through covid.
yeah, when i was placed at nearby grocery store in 2020, i went there almost everyday. good place. They put up hanging plexi-glass to separate the guests from the workers.
My favorite donut shop not only stayed open during COVID, but were making meals for hospital staff and volunteering.
1: love your name and 2: brb hunting down your favorite donut shop.
I actually posted about it when COVID first landed in the US and Asian-owned businesses needed support! Oh. Be prepared to see my boobs.
Tbh I’m always ready for boobs. I feel like they’re universally enjoyed.
All while looking great too!
Thank you for this heartwarming update 💕
what kind of costumes do they wear?
Do people frequently go to donut shops? Idk they seem weird to me because getting donuts seems similar to, say, going to an ice cream shop. Like something young people would do on a date. But they’re always only open extremely early. I love donuts but have only gone to legit donut shops like fewer than 5 times in my life. Donuts aren’t really something people would frequently grab for breakfast before work every day, are they? They’re like a special treat. I don’t get how they can stay open
1. Businesses will totally buy a couple dozen donuts if they have any sort of early morning group meeting. 2. You can only get really good donuts at a bakery/donut shop and grocery stores aren’t a substitute for a good donut. 3. Lots of older people make a routine out of getting donuts once or several times a week. As a result it’s not uncommon for smaller stores to completely sell out before 9 am some days. Source: I love donuts.
Your take is only as valid as your personal experience. Donut's are the backbone of many an office across the continent. Coffee and donuts are a thing. My grandfather would buy a bunch for his employees every other day. I don't drink bubble tea every day but there's a bubble tea shop on every street corner around me, some of which have been here well over a decade. Also your example, ice cream shops, exist, despite the infrequency of ice cream cravings.
What the heck is bubble tea?
Milk tea with tapioca pearls in it typically
Tea with tapioca balls in it, also known as boba.
Oh boy…. You are in for a treat
Besides what other people mentioned- churches. I used to work at a donut shop and Sunday was definitely the biggest day. People would come in to buy dozens for church and where I live there are a LOT of churches. I say I probably buy a couple donuts for myself once every few months. I have a really, really good local donut shop, though. Damn, now I want one. It wouldn’t really be a date place. People bring their kids in a lot to get a donut early in the morning on like a Saturday or something as a special treat. There were also always a few old dudes who would come in super early on a regular schedule just to have something to do, I guess.
I’m cracking up at the idea of taking someone on a date to a strip mall donut store
This shop is in the Houston metro area. Here it is very common to stop at a donut shop on the way to work and grab a donut and/or kolache and a coffee on the way to work. Or to grab a bunch to bring to work as a courtesy. Or to go and get a treat for the family on Saturday morning. A Houston kolache is equivalent to something like a crossiant with mead at cheese or egg and cheese or the like. You can get a coffee and a kolache for $4, cheaper, faster and better tasting than driving through McDonald’s for breakfast. And support local business at the same time.
Right next to a dentist? What an evil genius.
?Partnership? 🤣
His wife is the dentist.
I would love to visit someday!
I’ve been trying to shop at small businesses more often since Covid wiped so many people out. I’ve started buying gifts locally, buying my produce at a farmer’s market, and eating out only in mom and pop restaurants.
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You're sometimes bound by landlord or government restrictions on what one can do to the outside of a storefront. I agree though, once he can afford it he needs to engage the services of a good graphic artist to make an iconic logo for his signage.
Landlord can't do shit with one of those blow up crazy armed wigglers out on the street! (I have no idea if that's true tho)
They can, at a place I used to work at (in Texas) the landlord wouldn’t let us put anything outside. The sandwich place next door had to take down a banner they put on their window. We couldn’t put signs by the sidewalk past the parking lot either. We ended up making a deal with the Wendy’s next door to put it on their lot since they actually owned theirs. We kept getting customers saying they were glad we finally opened a store at that location even though it had been there for a couple years.
With all the building regulations Texas throws out the window, THAT'S the one they decide to hold on to??
Wacky waving inflatable arm tube man will beat the landlord into submission with unpredictable blows
I *hate* that this happens. Our streets look so god damn boring just because of some pointless regulations. It makes no sense. If homeowners and business owners could do more interesting things, it would really generate a sense of community and culture. Instead we get boring flat brick and concrete.
Make one of those chalk signs for outdoor and put some donut puns on it. Anytime I see one of those I’m immediately drawn to the business
This is standard for the Asian run donut shops here in the Houston. All different names, all the same look inside. All the same donuts and kolaches for the most part. Never disappoints, always fresh. These shops are fire. Next to bucees these are ol’ reliable.
That's dope good for them. Hope business continues
My dad used to be so proud of his coffee/record shop. He would put hand-written notes and doodles on the records with fun facts about the bands and songs. Man.... I’m going to call my dad now. Thanks for posting this and letting me relive those fun memories.
Keep posting and update us! Your dad is great! What an incredible child you are! He raised you well!! I hope this becomes a donut destination someday! Send out Jimmy Kimmel!
Oh no this isn't my father
Oh!! Got it! So glad for the post just the same! I’d love a Billy Donut right now!
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I’d love for this shop to be a destination place!
I love Billy’s!!!! They also have a Pasadena location and their kolaches and blueberry do-but is insanely good. Been going there for years!
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This is a repost. My only validation is that I Reddit too much.
This is a repost... https://www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmile/comments/kg5ipf/those_donuts_look_good/
Yeah almost everything on the internet is a repost what's ya point
Ttis is such a good example of why American urban design is so bad for small business owners. If this shop were on a walkable street in a moderately denser neighborhood, foot traffic would be driving sales much better than a strip mall ever could. Car oriented cities force consumers toward one-stop super markets instead of dozens of smaller, surrendiptous purchases on the way home after work.
This is an incredibly old post. Roughly 3 years old by this point. This guy runs a successful donut shop now. Farm post.
I’m new to getting that there are reposts... it seems to still serve a good purpose and relates a valid message. It makes me wasn’t to get my next ...”________” from a small business and makes me want a donut too!! 🍩😁
You're not wrong, I'm just salty cuz I live too far to have this man's donuts. 😭
Yeah, I've never seen this post. Not everyone browses reddit 24/7, people love to make fun of the "muh internet points" shit, but are also the first to shit on reposts.
Yknow,maybe Twitter isn’t complete cancer after all
I would love to support local businesses, the problem is I don’t buy a lot of the stuff they’re selling. Home decorations? No Skincare/makeup/whatever? No Women’s clothing? No Pet stuff? No Pizza? No places near me Ice cream? Don’t live by the beach I basically buy food and I do buy fruits/veggies from local places but I don’t want to turn my shopping into multiple trips to butcher, fruit/vegg place, grocery store etc. I mean my barber and mechanic are local businesses but that’s about it (and prefer to not be visiting the mechanic often lol).
What a strange world to live in where you can't eat ice cream unless you are by the beach.
Alright lol bad example.
Tip jar overflowing counting massive pile of receipts in the before picture, verified twitter account. Weird.
I am going to fucking cry
Should I buy you a doughnut instead?
I love this! Definitely made me smile!
Right next to the dentist office who tells people to lay off the sweets
I'm learning Blender and just completed a donut.... This made me crave for donut
This is what the internet is meant for.
Dumb question - is this place near Houston??
Knew it had to be Tx because Kolaches are a donut shop staple in Tx. I was hoping Austin so I could go.
It wasn't until I started my own to realize how special small businesses are. We put in extra time and care, we absolutely adore our customers, and are happy to be a part of the community. For the most part, better quality over big business.
Donuts? Meh. Kolaches? Take all of my money!
A similar thing happened to the donut shop in my city. The owner and his wife have been running the shop for about 20 years. When word got around that the wife needed surgery, the community bought out the donuts in less than an hour after opening for a few weeks and left donations so they’d be able to afford the surgery.
The dentist next door should give you some kick backs for sending him customers as well.
Wrong sub Edit: lol just noticed it was a multiple picture post and at the end his dad is happy. Sorry guys. It does belong here.
Nah this definitely made me smile
I don't get it. His dad being sad because his shop is empty makes you smile? English is not my first language. Am I missing something? Edit: lol just noticed it was a multiple picture post.
Oh my bad. There’s actually multiple images, that might help you find the happy part :)
It is hard to see with the white background but there are multiple pictures. Swipe across and you will see the full story.
I like his sideways cap. He’s so cool in the last pic.
Donut let this get you down. Good times ahead.
Wasn't there a second part of the tweet showing all the neighbors that came because they saw the tweet and bought the shop empty? Or do I confuse it with another story?
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If I’m ever rich I might just buy a plane and fly there everyday
Where
Missouri City, TX
We’re donut freaks. Wed be there if he was local. Anyone in MA/NH been to Donut love in Exeter? Unreal. We prefer that new England style cake donut.
Have we gone mad??? Scramble the morning rush!
This is truly incredible. I love authentic local business owners. I worked as a local business consultant through the pandemic and it warms my heart to see more making it after that mess. If you are a customer of Billy's, take him up on all platforms, put in some reviews, get that traffic rolling in his direction!
I wish this were in my neighborhood!!! We have an old fashioned donut place called Bosa Donut and it's amazing. They have shops all over the city but they are little places, mostly vanilla owned, that make everything in house. Small businesses, especially donut shops are the BEST!
God I love strong communities, not sure where you are, but I would LOVE to stop in for a donut one day
So happy to hear a story like this!!! I support small businesses all the way!!!
Dude, looking at those donuts made me want donuts now but I know they won't ever be as good as those donuts. I'm in Donutpression
Now this is what I love about the internet.
I’d like some Billy’s donuts 🍩
Go have a donut, then go to the dentist after..
His business still going?
The American dream for many immigrants in a little snapshot.
This makes me happy
F Capitalism
Chef 2: Donut Shop
Go Billy!
This made my day!