sweet shop

Houston's favorite doughnut shop rolls out sweet new headquarters in familiar space

Shipley Do-Nuts corporate headquarters rendering

The new facility is expected to open in late 2022.

Courtesy of Shipley Do-Nuts

Houston's favorite doughnut shop will soon have a new corporate home. Shipley Do-Nuts will relocate to an all-new, 60,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at Cullen Boulevard and the Gulf Freeway.

Located on the site of the former Finger Furniture flagship store — also home to the stadium for the Buffaloes, a minor league baseball team that operated from 1928-61 — the new facility will replace Shipley's existing headquarters on N. Main St. Named for L.W. "Bud" Shipley Jr., the two-story building will centralize making doughs that supply the company's 300-plus locations as well as provide office space for 130 employees.

The facility will also be home to a flagship doughnut shop with an interior drive-thru that will provide customers will a behind-the-scene's look at the facility's operations. Customers will be able to watch doughs being made while they wait for their apple fritters, sausage-and-cheese kolaches, and, of course classic plain glazed doughnuts.

"Bud Shipley was the visionary behind the company's initial growth, and it's only fitting that our new support center, which we're building to accommodate our growing company, be named after him," said Shipley Do-Nuts CEO Clifton Rutledge. "I can think of no better way to celebrate our birthday than by breaking ground on our headquarters for our next 85 years."

Austin-based private equity firm Peak Rock Capital purchased the company from the Shipley family earlier this year.

Shipley is recruiting new franchisees to help it realize its goal of opening 300 additional locations across Texas and the Southeast over the next five years.

openings

what about your friends?

Rapidly expanding Houston restaurant group befriends Rice Village with shareable plates and craft cocktails

Courtesy of ALife Hospitality Group

The menu includes this penne pasta.

A rapidly growing Houston restaurant and bar group will soon arrive in Rice Village. ALife Hospitality is opening FRNDS Restaurant & Lounge on April 1.

Located in the former Mi Luna space at 2442 University Blvd., FRNDS (pronounced “friends”), aims to be a gathering spot for groups. Although ALife is well established with concepts such as Kamp, Lost & Found, and the recently-opened Bungalow Downtown Dining, the new establishment will be its first in Rice Village.

“The space sort of picked us,” ALife partner Junior Martin tells CultureMap. “While looking for new opportunities, we viewed several locations in different areas of the city. After touring the property during the day and at night, it gave us a vision of what was missing from the Rice Village area and from our hospitality offerings to the city of Houston.”

Those offerings begin with a menu of tapas-style shareable plates created by ALife culinary director Mark Holley. Best known for his time at seafood restaurant Pesce and his current role at Davis Street at Hermann Park, Holley’s menu includes Coconut Curry Shrimp Skewers, Crab Avocado Dip, and Red Curry Fried Calamari. Diners will also find truffle pasta, shrimp cocktail, and baby back ribs. For his part, Martin recommends the wagyu dumplings and chicken satay.

“Several of the menu choices are shareable items to enjoy with your friends,” Martin adds. “This fosters a vibe of fellowship with your group and allows [everyone] to explore multiple menu items together.”

FRNDS pairs its dishes with a range of craft cocktails. Highlights include the Pineapple Patron and a popcorn cocktail that comes with a sidecar of kernels.

FRNDS Pineapple Patron cocktail Behold the Pineapple Patron.Courtesy of ALife Hospitality Group

Renovations to the space include adding royal blue and purple booths, marble bar and table tops, and wood accents.

Rice Village has seen a number of new openings in the past few months, including Navy Blue, the new seafood restaurant from the Bludorn team; Sushi by Hidden, an omakase restaurant from the owners of Hidden Omakase; a new location of Chinese American restaurant the Rice Box; Australian-inspired coffee shop Bluestone Lane; and Eau Tour, a French restaurant from Local Foods owner Benjy Levit.

ALife Hospitality FRNDS Restaurant & Lounge Rice Village openings news-you-can-eat