A Memphis donut institution is preparing a fresh helping of sweet treats for the area. Howard’s Donuts has been delighting locals with its delicious treats since the 1970s and is preparing a new location on Whitten Road-and it should be up and running early next year.
Donut aficionados will be able to stop in and savor one of Howard’s signature pastries at 2141 Whitten Road. A commercial alteration permit filed with the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development shows that the bakery will span 3,000 square feet, with an occupancy load of 33.
Owner Borey Nuon was kind enough to speak with What Now Memphis about bringing Howard’s to this new spot. He explains that the storefront provides sufficient space and a strategic location. “We’ve been looking for a new location since early this year,” he says. “We finally found this location in March and fully acquired it later in August. The main selling point for this location is the spacious floor plan, plus there is definitely a need for a donut business around this area.”
Nuon states that he has been considering expansion plans for a while and that now his personal and professional lives will allow him to pursue them. He says: “Opening new storefronts was always something I wanted to do, but life with 2 kids and a business is not always easy. Now my kids (5 and 3) are a little bit bigger and more independent, I can focus more on the business.”
Nuon and his team understand and appreciate Howard’s position in the Memphis culinary scene, and hope to spread the brand’s delicious treats to a greater audience. Nuon states: “Born and raised in Memphis since the 1970s, Howard’s Donuts is a brand that is very well known to and well loved by the people of Memphis. We bought Howard’s Donuts in 2020 from Mr. John Howard, the son of the founder of Howard’s Donuts. Our acquisition came with the ownership of Howard’s Donuts trademark. Our goal is to franchise the brand nationally.”
While Howard’s will continue to make donuts that visitors know and love, Nuon explains that the brand is currently experimenting with innovations for efficiency. “We’re always looking for better and improved ways to do things around here. Currently we are working on a new model to help us reach a wider range of consumers in bigger markets.”
Memphis residents who can already hear their stomachs rumbling in anticipation of Howard’s new location needn’t worry-the wait won’t be long. Nuon says he and his team are aiming for a late January or early February opening.
