Voodoo Doughnut

Voodoo Doughnut is an American doughnut company based in Portland, Oregon. It is known for its eclectic decor and pink boxes featuring the company logo with illustrations of voodoo priests. Voodoo Doughnut operates two retail shops in Portland, two shops in Denver, and shops in Eugene, Oregon, Austin, Houston, Universal City, California, and Orlando.

Voodoo Doughnut
The exterior of Voodoo Doughnut's flagship location in Old Town Chinatown Portland, Oregon
Restaurant information
Slogan"The Magic is in the Hole"
Established2003 (2003)[1]
Owner(s)Richard "Tres" Shannon III
Kenneth "Cat Daddy" Pogson[2][3]
Food typeDoughnuts
Dress codeCasual
Street address22 Southwest 3rd Avenue
CityPortland
StateOregon
Country United States
Coordinates45.522558°N 122.673447°W / 45.522558; -122.673447
Other locationsVoodoo Doughnut Too
1501 NE Davis Street, Portland
Voodoo Doughnut Tres
20 E Broadway, Eugene, OR
Voodoo Doughnut Mile High
1520 East Colfax, Denver, CO
Voodoo Doughnut V
212 E 6th st Austin, TX
3715 Washington Ave Houston, TX 77007
Websitewww.voodoodoughnut.com

History
The former exterior of the flagship location in Portland

Voodoo Doughnut was founded in 2003 by Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson and Richard "Tres" Shannon III. The company’s logo features a version of Baron Samedi, Voodoo Loa of the dead. [4]

In 2008, the mayor of Portland, Tom Potter, declared Voodoo's Portland Cream Doughnut the “Official City Doughnut.”[4]

The original location closed between April to June 2011 for remodeling after acquiring the space next door to the south formerly occupied by Berbati's Pan nightclub. Much of the expansion was for the kitchen and customer area was not increased by much.[5]

Voodoo constructed an enlarged version of its signature pink box, which was filled with 3,880 doughnuts weighing 666 pounds, for the Portland Bridge Festival, in August 2011, dubbed by Portland's mayor as the "world’s biggest box of doughnuts”, which was later confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records.[4]

Also in 2011, Voodoo partnered with Rogue Ales to manufacture its most popular doughnut flavors as bottled beer, including Bacon Maple Ale and Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Banana Ale, the latter being from its Memphis Mafia doughnut, and a tribute to Elvis Presley. That year, the Los Angeles Times referenced Voodoo is an international tourist attraction.[6]

In May 2010, the company opened its first location outside of Portland on East Broadway in Eugene, Oregon.

In December 2013, the company opened its first location outside of Oregon on Colfax Avenue in Denver on Friday the 13th.[7]

In October 2015, the company opened its first location in the state of Texas on Sixth Street in Austin on October 31st. [8]

In March 2017, the company opened its first location in California at Universal CityWalk Hollywood.[9]

In April 2017, the company suspended it's doughnut eating challenge. This came after Travis Malouff, 42, died from "asphyxia, due to obstruction of the airway" while competing in the challenge at the Colfax Avenue location in Denver.[10]

In May 2018, the company opened its first location on the East Coast of the United States in Orlando at Universal CityWalk Orlando[11]

In June 2019, the company opened its second location in Denver on South Broadway on Father's Day. [12]

In January 2020, the company opened its first Houston location in the Heights neighborhood on Washington Ave. on January 15. [13]

As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company received between $1 million and $2 million in federally backed small business loan from First Interstate Bank as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. The company stated it would allow them to retain 331 jobs.[14]

In 2020, also during the pandemic, workers at the downtown location unionized, forming the Doughnut Workers United (DWU), which is affiliated with the Portland chapter of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).[15]

Doughnuts
Bacon-Maple bar
Voodoo doughnut pink box
In addition to the "Portland Cream" doughnut (a variant on the Boston cream doughnut), Voodoo Doughnuts also makes a "cock and balls doughnut" that has cream filled "balls"[16]

In addition to the examples below, vegan doughnuts are also featured along with a rotating and frequently changing menu of specialty doughnuts and unusual variations on traditional varieties.[17] The company offers over 100 varieties, in total.[5] Unconventional ingredients include Cap'n Crunch, grape flavored Tang, M&M's, Oreo cookies, and marshmallows.[18]

Two of their doughnuts, the NyQuil Glazed doughnut and the Vanilla Pepto Crushed Tums doughnut, are no longer available due to order of local health officials. According to one of the co-owners, "the NyQuil one was kind of a lark, but that’s the one that got the most famous. With the Pepto doughnut, I honestly thought if you had that shot of tequila you shouldn’t have at 2:00 a.m., and then you got sugar, bread, Pepto, and Tums, you’d either feel better or puke your ass off and then feel better because you got it out of your system. So it was a win-win either way."[19]

On December 24, 2008, Voodoo's "Portland Creme" was designated as Portland's "Official City Doughnut" by a resolution introduced by Portland Mayor Tom Potter and passed by city commissioners the same night. The resolution also expressed Portlanders' "deepest gratitude to Voodoo Doughnut management for its dedication in the face of these stringent economic times in providing employment opportunities... and above all, creating and naming a doughnut after our beloved city that leaves a lasting taste and fond memories on its customers near and far away."[20] Later, mayor Tom Potter and mayoral candidate Sam Adams attended a regular midnight doughnut-eating contest.[6]

On October 2, 2019, Voodoo Doughnut, the creative leaders in doughnut innovation, introduced The new Cannolo Doughnut. Twisted and fried to perfection, the Cannolo is available in three different rotating seasonal flavors and is Voodoo's take on the beloved Cannoli. [21]

Operations

The company has nine retail outlets. The first opened in 2003[6] at 22 Southwest 3rd Avenue[22] in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood of Portland. Another is just over a mile (1.6 kilometers) away, at 1501 Northeast Davis Street (opened in June 2008); another is in Eugene, Oregon (officially opened in June 2010). To celebrate their fifth anniversary, Voodoo Doughnut opened a second branch at 1501 Northeast Davis Street in the Kerns neighborhood.[3] This began a "soft opening" on May 30, 2008 with limited hours. The official opening was in June 2008 and featured a parade which led from the original location to the new one.[1][23]

Voodoo Doughnut opened a third location in Eugene, Oregon, at the corner of Broadway and Willamette in downtown Eugene. The store began a "soft opening" May 7, 2010 with limited hours. The official opening occurred on June 5, 2010.[24]

A fourth outlet is in Denver, Colorado and a fifth is in Austin, Texas.[25]

A sixth and second location in Denver, Colorado on South Broadway.

A seventh is in Universal City, California at Universal CityWalk,[26] and an eighth in Orlando, Florida.

A ninth and most recent location opened in Houston, Texas on January 15, 2020.

Wedding services

Voodoo Doughnut offers legal wedding services, followed by doughnuts and coffee.[27] In an effort to "ritualize" the name “Voodoo,” both Pogson and Shannon became ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church, and subsequently performed both “real” and “fake” wedding ceremonies in their shops.[4]

Nowadays, the shop managers are trained and ordained to perform both legal and non-legal wedding services. Couples that are not interested in getting married at a Voodoo Doughnut location can still order custom wedding doughnuts for their special day. [28]

Television
The "Captain My Captain" doughnut, featuring vanilla frosting and Cap'n Crunch cereal

Voodoo Doughnut has been featured on the Travel Channel's series No Reservations, by Anthony Bourdain[29] Man v. Food, Doughnut Paradise,[30] and G4's Attack of the Show. It was a destination in the season finale of the 13th season of The Amazing Race.

In 2010, television documentary The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice! featured a segment in which filmmaker Morgan Spurlock paid a visit to the Voodoo Doughnut Too location.

Jay Leno included Voodoo Doughnut in a Tonight Show opening monologue: "Did you hear about the doughnut shop in Portland, Oregon, that has caffeinated doughnuts? Yeah, I guess you can stay awake during your bypass surgery."[31] Voodoo Doughnut would later be mentioned again when Amanda Seyfried appeared on the show in support of her 2012 film, Gone.

The shop's doughnuts, including the distinctive pink box, appeared in a fourth-season episode of the TNT drama series Leverage. This episode of the show, which films in Portland, was the first actually set in the city. Additionally, the pink box has appeared in the second episode of season one of Grimm and the episodes "Like a Virgin" and "All in the Family" in Supernatural.

Voodoo Doughnut Recordings

In 2013, Voodoo Doughnut founders, Cat Daddy & Tres, set up a record label named Voodoo Doughnut Recordings with the intent of establishing a catalog of doughnut-related music and advertising the company's brand.[32][33] Early novelty acts included the Deep Fried Boogie Band and the Doughnut Boys.[34] The label expanded to other artists such as Poison Idea,[32] The Dandy Warhols,[35] Dead Moon,[36] Smegma,[36] Jerry Joseph[37] and Hazel.[38] The label also releases recordings of comedians such as Ian Karmel.[36]

As of 2017, Voodoo Doughnut Recordings is no longer owned by Voodoo Doughnut and is solely owned by Voodoo Doughnut Founders, Kenneth "Cat Daddy" Pogson and Tres Shannon. They have not released a record since 2016.

2018 false harassment allegation

In 2018, proponents of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory began claiming that Voodoo Doughnut was linked to child sexual abuse;[39] allegations were leveled at several businesses by right-wing online conspiracy theorists, most notably by harassing Voodoo Doughnut and Toronto-based Canadian ice cream chain "Sweet Jesus Ice Cream". Police investigations found the accusations to be baseless.[40]

See also

References
  1. "Voodoo Doughnuts To Open New Shop". Portland Mercury. May 21, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2008.
  2. About Voodoo Doughnut from the company's website
  3. Voodoo Child: A peek at Voodoo Doughnut Too Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine from Willamette Week
  4. "Voodoo Doughnut". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Portland State University and the Oregon Historical Society. March 17, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  5. Voodoo Doughnut to Close Downtown Store for Renovation, Expansion The Oregonian.
  6. Sewell, Abby (February 20, 2011). "Voodoo Doughnuts: In Portland, Ore., nothing says commitment like a Voodoo Doughnut". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  7. Voodoo Doughnut opens on East Colfax Avenue in Denver, The Denver Post
  8. , Austin Eater
  9. "Voodoo Doughnuts Comes To LA". losangeles.cbslocal.com. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  10. "Voodoo Doughnut suspends eating challenge after man's death in Denver store". Coloradoan. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  11. "Inside the sinfully deliscious Voodoo Doughnut shop". www.bizjournals.com.
  12. Stapleton, Susan (June 14, 2019). "Voodoo Doughnut Opens a Second Denver Location". Eater Denver.
  13. "ClosePopup". realm.hearstnp.com.
  14. Syed, Moiz; Willis, Derek. "VOODOO DOUGHNUT LLC - Coronavirus Bailouts - ProPublica". ProPublica. Retrieved July 8, 2020. First Interstate Bank
  15. McIntosh, Don (March 20, 2020). "At Portland icon Voodoo Doughnuts, workers announce they've formed a union". Northwest Labor Press. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  16. Walker, Tim (May 17, 2016). "This Portland doughnut shop is #FeelingTheBern". Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  17. Menu from the company's website
  18. "Voodoo Doughnut Menu". Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  19. Voodoo Doughnut from the August 2006 issue of The Believer
  20. "Portland sprinkles award on official city doughnut". Oregon Local News. May 17, 2016. Archived from the original on December 25, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  21. Frane, Alex (November 15, 2019). "Voodoo Doughnut Has a Crispy New Product on its Shelves". Eater Portland.
  22. Tres Shannon (Voodoo Founder) (August 2011). "Hoods". Finder. Willamette Week. p. 54. Retrieved January 30, 2012. ... Voodoo Doughnut, ...(22 Southwest 3rd Ave., 241-4704, voodoodoughnut.com). ... But I love that there’s still a porn theater where the Paris Theatre was (New Paris Theatre, 6 Northwest 3rd Ave., 295-7808). They’re great neighbors.
  23. "In the Mix, FOODday". The Oregonian. June 3, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2008.
  24. "Woo hoo Voodoo!". Register-Guard. April 14, 2010. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  25. Curlington, Jennifer (March 12, 2015). "Portland-based doughnut shop to open on Historic Sixth Street". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  27. from the company's website
  28. "Custom Order Doughnuts".
  29. Anthony Bourdain Visits the Pacific Northwest from the Travel Channel website
  30. Donut Paradise: The Ultimate Deep-Fried Treat from the Travel Channel website
  31. Nicholas, Jonathan (January 5, 2004). "DEPT. OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS". The Oregonian. pp. D01.
  32. "Interview: Tres Shannon, co-owner of Voodoo Doughnut". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  33. "Voodoo Doughnut Recordings". Vortex Music Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  34. "7 things to know about Voodoo Doughnut's record label". oregonlive.com. January 3, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  35. "The Dandy Warhols Set to Drop Two Records This April Including 'Nothin' To Do' Live at The X-Ray Cafe [Song Premiere]". Vortex Music Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  36. "Locals Only: Tres Shannon (Voodoo Doughnut)". modern-vinyl.com. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  37. "Jerry Joseph, Voodoo Doughnut Recordings, & Lower Boom : The Confluence". Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  38. "Dead Moon live album to offer a first peek at Voodoo's unearthed rock archive". oregonlive.com. December 30, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  40. Zadrozny, Brandy; et al. (August 27, 2018). "Secret message board drives 'pizzagate'-style harassment campaign of small businesses". NBC. NBC News. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
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