Donut Nation, Dawn -- 2022 - 5

Melissa Griffitts &
An honest mistake can create a marketing advantage.
Exhibit A: In Bloomington, Indiana, home to Cresent
Donut, this one-store donut operation founded in 1961
produces specialty and gourmet donuts that are wildly
popular - like the Strawberry Short Stack or the Tiger
Tail Twist, a particular favorite during National
Donut Day.
Strawberry Short Stack
These donuts are loved by customers far and wide,
but every once in a while, someone walks up to the
front counter and exclaims, " Did you know the Cresent
in Cresent Donut is spelled wrong? "
The answer, of course, is yes.
" Cresent Donut was founded in 1961 by Lee Drakes,
and the original store was located at 1st and Walnut in
Bloomington, " explains current owner and baker Melissa
Griffitts, who took over the donut shop in 2020. " There
were additional locations built and designed in 1968. "
The honest mistake comes into play when you find out
that the original owner forgot to add the second C in
the name when the sign for the store was created.
The sign went up, and the rest is history.
" People love the story, and we are known for it, "
Griffitts says. So, why change it now?
NATIONAL DONUT DAY
In early June, hundreds of customers poured in to
enjoy the creative flavors that this beloved donut shop
had to offer.
" We are sold out for the remainder of the day, " the
donut shop posted on Facebook prior to noon on June
3, National Donut Day. " We would like to thank all of
our great customers for coming out and celebrating
National Donut Day with us. We would also like to
thank our incredible staff for their hard work and
effort to try to get us to our usual 2 P.M. closing time.
Without you customers and our staff none of this
would be possible. "
Cresent Donut has been a hometown favorite for 61
years. Former owner Peter Sharpe, who became the
sole owner in 2002, owned Cresent Donut for 17 years
before selling it to Griffitts, the current owner. She plans
to keep Cresent Donut going with its original recipes
and traditional donuts that everyone has come to love
while adding a few gourmet and specialty donuts.
" All our donuts are pretty popular, " Griffitts says. " We
make sure we always get the freshest ingredients, and
Dawn Foods is very important to our success. Business
is coming back from Covid, and we are planning
promotions throughout the year. "
Tiger Tail Twists
Donut Nation, Dawn -- 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Donut Nation, Dawn -- 2022
