12 minute read
Short Orders
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e bakers at Old Town Donuts keep the case stocked 24-hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. | ANDY PAULISSEN
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[ST. LOUIS STANDARDS]
If It Ain’t Broke
Old Town Donuts became a key part of north-county life by never changing what makes it great
Written by CHERYL BAEHR
As a young kid growing up in north St. Louis County, Brad Donovan never expected to win the stepdad lottery and wind up related to the owner of Old Town Donuts. The shop held such a special place in his heart, starting with his and his mother’s tradition of going there every Sunday after mass at Our Lady of Fatima, where she was the music director. His favorite was the classic glazed — something he’d get much more acquainted with after his mom tied the knot with the shop’s proprietor.
“Never in a million years did I think she would marry the owner,” Donovan laughs. “They met through Rotary club and got married when I was seventeen. That’s when I started working there, and I think it speaks to the institution that we are — that we’re a family place. People tell us similar stories all the time about coming here when they were little kids with their grandparents. We all have those memories.”
A Florissant institution since 1968, Old Town Donuts is indeed animated with the memories Donovan hears every day from longtime customers who come in to grab a cup of coffee and what many say is the best doughnut in the St. Louis area. Granted, not everyone can say that they are the stepson of owner Keith Took, but family relation isn’t a requirement to feel special at this northcounty mainstay. Every last person who stops in has some type of connection to the place, many of which stretch back to the old days when the original owner, Steve Burns, first set up shop.
Part of the reason for that connection, Donovan believes, is how little has changed since 1968. Even after Took bought the shop in 1985, the place remained exactly the same as it was under Burns. There’s been little in terms of aesthetic updating; the cream-andblack checkered oor may be a little more worn than it was in the ’60s, and the simple diner tables may have been replaced over the years, but the case, Formica counter and framed awards dotting the walls do not simply evoke an old-
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Old Town Donuts has been using the same recipes since it opened in 1968. | ANDY PAULISSEN
OLD TOWN DONUTS
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fashioned doughnut shop; they are the trimmings of the real deal.
“We’ve been using the same recipes and ingredients for the entire time,” Donovan says. “We haven’t really changed anything. I was trained by bakers who were trained by Steve, who opened the place. We’ve done it the same way and have been using the same vendors and everything for so long. We try to keep it consistent, which is the key.”
Since opening more than five decades ago, Old Town Donuts has been a mainstay of the community as much more than a place to grab sweet treats. The shop is involved in several different organizations throughout the municipality, and donates to local charities such as Marygrove, which helps teens and young adults who have experienced trauma. However, it’s the role it has of community gathering place that has secured its spot in the hearts of area residents. On any given day — the place is open seven days a week you’ll find grandparents with their grandchildren, people coming to and from work, moms with toddlers meeting up for a bit of respite, and, of course, the ever-changing yet constant group of senior-citizen men who stop in every day for a doughnut, coffee and catchup time with their friends.
“Ever since I started, we have this group of retirees that comes in every single morning to sit down, have a coffee and shoot the breeze,” Donovan says. “It’s their daily routine, and, sadly, it’s always evolving because some of the guys have passed away — we still have World War II vets in the group — but even if it’s not the same guys, it’s always still the same.”
Donovan says that he’s had a few requests for changes over the years, but that’s just not in the cards. Though Old Town Donuts never felt pressured to jump on the gourmet-doughnuts bandwagon a few years ago (in fact, he says that business actually improved during that trend), he’s had customers inquire about whether the shop would start serving breakfast or doing sandwiches. As he explains, they’ll be waiting a long time for those changes.
“We’re a doughnut shop,” Donovan says. “We do doughnuts the way we want to do them, and that’s all we want to do.”
Still, he doesn’t think that resistance to change is a bad thing. In fact, that sort of staying power — 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 364 days per year — is why Old Town Donuts always has been, and will be for as long as he has his way, an essential part of the Florissant fabric.
“I think a big part of it is the reliability of always being here,” Donovan says. “We’re always, always, always open. You want a donut at 3 a.m.? We’re here. You want a cup of coffee in the middle of the night? We’re there for you. I think that has gone a long way to put us in people’s minds when people are in north county.” n
[FOOD NEWS]
Tacos 4 Life Is Coming to O’Fallon
Written by CHERYL BAEHR
When Jacy and Matt Rose first heard about Tacos 4 Life (multiple locations including the forthcoming 2998 Highway K, O’Fallon, Missouri), they weren’t quite sure what to expect. The husband and wife were on a trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, for a family wedding a few years back and were looking for a place to eat when their sisterin-law suggested the Tex-Mex restaurant. Intrigued by its social mission, they thought they’d give it a shot, but when they walked in, they were immediately impressed for reasons beyond its charitable aims.
“We were completely blown away when we got there, because we expected it to be a charity,” Matt says. “We were surprised that the atmosphere was so inviting and nice. Also, we’re big foodies, so we couldn’t take the food lightly. It’s so good; the mission wouldn’t be as successful if it didn’t have the food to back it up.”
Now, the Roses are about to become more than just customers of Tacos 4 Life when they open the first Missouri location of the small chain in O’Fallon this fall. As they explain, the restaurant’s mission of helping to feed hungry children — not simply the delicious food — is what pushed them to dive into the restaurant business.
“The founder [co-founder Austin Samuelson] heard a talk about how every day, 18,000 children pass away from starvation in the world, and that’s preventable,” Matt says. “It’s the most solvable problem in the world; it’s just getting the food to them. They were in the restaurant business, but they had a heart for the mission, and they created great recipes and put experienced and smart people around them.”
At Tacos 4 Life, the restaurant donates a meal for every taco sold to the organization Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit that helps feed children around the world. So far, the company has donated 17 million meals in its six years in business — a number that guests get to watch increase in real time on screens that are visible at the order counter.
In addition to its mission, the Roses believe people will be drawn to Tacos 4 Life for the food. The Tex-Mex-in ected restaurant serves puffy fried tacos with creative fillings, such as fried chicken, Korean barbecue, chicken bacon ranch and spicy chorizo topped with creamed corn. Also noteworthy is the brand’s signature queso, which won the 2017 World Cheese Dip Championship.
Construction begins on the storefront, which will be located near the intersection of highways K and N, next month, with the goal of an October or November opening. In addition to the Roses’ involvement, the O’Fallon Tacos 4 Life will be run by Andy Kendall, a high school friend of Matt’s and former top-five-ranking general manager for Red Robin. The Roses are excited to have a seasoned veteran on board, as this will be their first restaurant venture currently, Matt is a financial planner who owns the local wealth management firm STL Wealth, where he plans to continue even once the restaurant opens.
As eager as they are to be jumping into a business with such an important mission, they are just as thrilled to be bringing their favorite restaurant to town — which means they no longer have to road-trip to the next-closest location in Memphis to get their fix.
“We’ve been driving four hours a couple of times a year to eat at Tacos 4 Life,” Matt says. “We’ve been telling our kids that we are making the trip to see the Memphis Redbirds play, but, really, we’re going there to eat the food.” n
Jacy and Matt Rose have been driving their family hours each way to eat at Tacos 4 Life. Soon they will be the ones in charge of the O’Fallon restaurant. | PROVIDED
So far, Tacos 4 Life has donated 17 million meals to Feed My Starving Children — a number that guests get to watch increase in real time on screens that are visible at the order counter.
Rockwell Beer Co. Is Opening a Second Location
Written by CHERYL BAEHR
Already a beloved community gathering place, Francis Park is about to get even more popular — and delicious. The south-city park, located in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood, will be the site of the forthcoming Rockwell Beer Garden, a food counter, concession stand and outdoor dining and gathering space launched by the craft brewery Rockwell Beer Co. (1320 South Vandeventer Avenue, 314-256-1657).
In plans announced last week, Rockwell Beer Co. is in the process of renovating Francis Park’s 1929-era “comfort center” building adjacent to the park’s tennis courts. Opening later this summer, the space is described as a “focal point for community gathering within the park, complete with plenty of outdoor seating, fire pits and an outdoor recreation area.” The new concept builds upon St. Louis’ past beer garden culture, respecting the park’s history as an integral part of St. Louis Hills.
“We are obsessed with reinvigorating the longstanding beer garden culture in St. Louis, because it provided such a tremendous sense of community to people in our city,” says James Sanders, co-founder of Rockwell Beer Co. “With the tremendous help and support of various St. Louis Hills neighborhood associations, Alderman Tom Oldenberg, and the City of Saint Louis, our Rockwell team is creating a gathering spot in Francis Park that has something for the entire family. As a longtime St. Louis Hills resident, I am especially proud of this accomplishment.”
In addition to Rockwell’s beer, the beer garden will serve wine, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages and food described as “family-friendly fare.” Full-service dining will be available.
The concession area is not the only part of the park getting a facelift. The beer garden project coincides with renovations to the Francis Park tennis courts, some of which will be repurposed as pickleball courts. The beer garden will have pickleball equipment for patrons to use.
The beer garden will be the second location for Rockwell Beer Co., which opened its brewery and tasting room just east of the Grove in 2018. Known for its familyfriendly, come-as-you-are style, the brand proved to be the perfect fit to bring such a community-oriented space to the park.
“It has been a rewarding process to work with the Rockwell team and help them bring the Rockwell experience to Francis Park,” says Oldenberg. “The park is the crown jewel of our neighborhood. Having a new place — with high quality food and drinks — for people of all ages to gather makes the park even more special.” n
e new Rockwell Beer Garden will be a community gathering spot in St. Louis Hills’ Francis Park. | COURTESY ROCKWELL BEER CO.
[OPENINGS]
Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions Opens in Maplewood
Written by CHERYL BAEHR
The day that St. Louis carnivores have been eagerly awaiting has finally arrived: Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions (2733 Sutton Boulevard, Maplewood; 314-647-2567) is now open in its new, larger location in Maplewood.
The new Bolyard’s, which is located just a block north of the original location, expands upon the butcher shop’s seven years of serving St. Louisans the best pasture-raised and humanely sourced meat available. Not only do the new digs offer additional seating room — the larger kitchen setup gives owner Chris Bolyard and his team the increased space to offer a rotisserie, retail area, open cutting room and an expanded menu.
And what a menu it is. In addition to the signature sandwiches Bolyard’s has offered for several years — the Tom Tom turkey sandwich and the French-dip-inspired Dip, for instance — the expanded menu includes soups and salads, a charcuterie board, burgers and side dishes such as tallow fries. Weekend brunch will also be available, including such items as Bolyard’s famous biscuits and gravy, seasonal quiche and a breakfast hash bowl. The restaurant is also offering a handful of beers, kombucha and Excel sodas.
A Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, Bolyard left the line to pursue his passion for whole-animal butchery, opening Bolyard’s in 2014. In announcing the move last October, he noted how thrilled he was that the new shop and restaurant would allow him to do more cooking.
“I’m super excited to get back into the kitchen,” Bolyard said. “There are so many ways to utilize the animals we are already working with. This will allow us to showcase whole-animal butchery, and you will be able to see more of that on the menu, which results in less waste, which is a good thing. They just go hand in hand. Having a butcher shop attached to a menu, and not being limited by not having a kitchen, is very exciting for us. There’s a lot of fun things we can do.”
The new Bolyard’s will be open seven days a week. Its new hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. For more information and a full menu, visit bolyardsmeat.com. n
