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St. Petersburg gets its own Mini Doughnut Factory

 
Doughnuts at the Mini Doughnut Factory where the newest location just opened at 730 4th St N. From left is the Homer Simpson, Peanut Butter Cup and the Sweet Pig. DIRK SHADD   |   Times
Doughnuts at the Mini Doughnut Factory where the newest location just opened at 730 4th St N. From left is the Homer Simpson, Peanut Butter Cup and the Sweet Pig. DIRK SHADD | Times
Published Dec. 8, 2017

The Mini Doughnut Factory has gone uptown.

That's St. Petersburg's Historic Uptown neighborhood, where the second location of the Tampa-based chain opened Monday. The original, at 2109 S Dale Mabry Highway, was opened in 2015 by Patrick and Zezura Ruddell. According to its website, it has sold 1.2 million doughnuts.

The new store at 730 Fourth St. N is easy to spot, thanks to the mural on its south wall of happy people enjoying doughnuts, painted by Tony Krol and Michelle Sawyer of Illsol Gallery in Tampa. The store's pale gray, industrial-style interior has big windows and seating for a few dozen at tall tables and counters.

The mini doughnuts — each just a couple of bites — don't sit under glass drying out. They're assembled when you order them, and it doesn't take long. I waited less than 10 minutes for a box of 25 to be iced and topped.

Most of the standard flavors start with a vanilla cake doughnut with a tender crumb and golden exterior. They're dressed up in 16 combinations, from sophisticated tastes like Espresso Chip — espresso icing, mini chocolate chips, caramel drizzle — to classics like the Homer Simpson, with strawberry icing and rainbow sprinkles. One of the most popular, the Sweet Pig, features maple icing and bacon crumbles. There are seasonal flavors as well.

Or you can create custom doughnuts, starting with vanilla (gluten free is available) or, on weekends, chocolate or blueberry. Then go crazy with 14 icings, 19 toppings and seven drizzles. Vanilla bacon sriracha? Chocolate Pop Rocks marshmallow? Up to you.

The menu also offers doughnut sundaes, doughnut shakes and a variety of coffee drinks. Mini doughnut prices start at $2.25 for three and go to $24.95 for a box of 36.

Store hours in St. Petersburg are 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 a.m.-
6:30 p.m. Sunday. Order online at minidoughnutfactory.com or call (727) 258-7531.