The Beginning of Delicious...

It was 1936, the end of the Great Depression, when Lawrence Shipley, Sr. created a gourmet recipe for Do-Nuts. So delicious were the Do-Nuts that they have withstood the test of time. Cut by hand and served hot throughout the day, the Do-Nuts were 5 cents a dozen and were only sold wholesale. The product was so successful that it started to sell on the retail market in the mid 1940s. With Lawrence Sr. away on do-nut routes, his wife Lillie would stay behind and make the culinary delights with Lawrence Jr. at her knee.

People would come from miles around to sample the nectar of the sumptuous hot glazed Do-Nuts. Serving them hot was a goal of the elder Shipley. Lawrence Shipley, Sr. once said, “When they bite into that hot do-nut, it will bring them back every time.”

It is that very concept that continues to bring generations of do-nut lovers back to Shipley’s as loyal customers.

“One of the best memories I have of my father is walking to Shipley Do-Nuts on Saturday morning for that hot plain glazed,” said Kathy Froleigh. ”It was the one time of the week, when Daddy was all mine, giving me his full attention. I have tried to create that same kind of memory for my own children who I take to Shipley’s every Saturday morning. They each get to pick out their favorite Do-Nuts while we sit and talk, laugh and enjoy our favorite varieties. ”They never knew my father. He died before they were born. But they know him through the stories I have told of our special time together every Saturday morning when we talked about what happened during the week as we ate our Do-Nuts.” “I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have our Shipley’s Do-Nuts,” said Froleigh. ”It would be like taking away part of my history and my future.”

Lawrence Jr. worked in the business all of his life, continuing his fathers vision and making Shipley Do-Nuts the successful business it is today. He expanded the company to more than 190 stores around the nation in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.

The Do-Nuts continue to delight customers of all ages. The over 60 varieties remain as consistent as the freshness of the products, and although the plain glazed is by far the best seller, everyone seems to have their favorites.

Shipley Do-Nuts continues the pride and tradition on delivering the finest Do-Nuts and kolaches in the business. Shipley Do-Nuts is a gourmet product made fresh daily. The company offers excellent customer service, clean stores and friendly employees who love our Do-Nuts as much as our customers do.