House of Donuts expands into Huron

HURON — Upon entering, people are instantly hit with the sweet smells of fresh, homemade baked goods wafting through a quaint shop. From apple fritters to cream sticks and, of course, classic glazed, people can choose more than 20 different varieties of doughnuts — and there isn't a wrong choice at the Huron House of Donuts, owner Jan Bucholz said. "It's the best doughnut you are going to have," Bucholz said. "People come from all over the place for them. We have a lot of customers from out of town and even the country. We welcome them to any of our locations and our newest one" at 2027 Cleveland Road, Huron, she said. Bucholz adopted many aspects from her other businesses — she also owns the Sandusky House of Donuts and Vermilion House of Donuts — into her newest spot in Huron, previously known as LEMmy's. She did operate LEMmy's for a little more than a year before evolving the eatery into a doughnut shop. "We understand people are disappointed there isn't a diner here anymore, but it was getting harder and harder," said Bucholz, noting several complications with the kitchen's layout, functionality and utilities posed problems for her and staff members. "Running a restaurant and trying to get six different meals together and come out at the same time for the same table is not something I know how to do very well," Bucholz said. "So I decided to go ahead and make it a bakery. We've done it, and it's been really a good decision." To accommodate the diner crowd, however, Bucholz noted Huron House of Donuts intends to expand its menu, offering many breakfast items, like yogurt parfaits, French toast bakes, avocado toasts and an egg dish. In the meantime, people can peruse the see-through counter space and indulge in the many treats available. Bucholz noted, just like in Sandusky and Vermilion, Huron's location offers a wide selection of doughnuts to begin a workday, including those topped, filled and sprinkled with all different toppings. "And we don't use any artificial food coloring," Bucholz said. "If you see a pink-frosted doughnut, that means it's real strawberries. If you see blue, that means blueberries." Customers can also expect some fall specials to pop up soon. "We are going to make cider doughnuts from Quarry Hill Orchards (in Berlin Heights). It's going to be rolled in cinnamon sugar," said Bucholz, who uses profits made at all three doughnut shops for her nonprofit, Fine Lives, which supports and rescues cats along with other animals. There's also a special coffee blend available: a Brazilian-Guatemalan mix known as Coffee Klatsch. "Klatsch," in German, is a term people use to come together, as a community, to eat, drink and enjoy one another's company. Right now, the Huron House of Donuts operates from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. On some days, if doughnuts do sell out, which occurs frequently, it might close earlier. "Our dream is to expand hours because we really want to serve the community," said Bucholz, noting the shop even decorates doughnuts for local sports teams. For instance, people can purchase red-frosted doughnuts with white lettering as an homage to Huron High School. "We'd really like this to be more of a vibe of Huron's living room," Bucholz said. "So come, stay, read the paper, drink your coffee, have a doughnut, and let us know how you're doing."