In tiny Tupper Lake, N.Y., a tourist destination in the Adirondacks, the Donut Shop serves up more than just donuts.
The Donut Shop also a laundromat, with a store selling knick knacks and souvenirs on the side. Co-owner Tina Merrihew says it's a winning combination.
"About 25 years ago, we bought it, and after cleaning out, we realized we had a lot of space in here, so we added the store," Merrihew says.
Locals and out-of-towners can come in with their dirty clothes and sit for a while with a coffee and watch it spin.
"It's sort of a weird combination," Merrihew says. "But you know, actually, it works really well. People come in — you know how everyone loves to do laundry, so the donuts and coffee helps out, and they can do a little shopping."
The shop makes old fashioned donuts with thin batter dropped from the hopper into the fry pan. The best-seller: bacon donuts.
"That's real bacon that's mixed in with the maple frosting," Merrihew says. "Oh, it's excellent. Some people hesitate about it, but overall people are, 'Oh, let's try it,' and then they come back for more."
For a while, the Donut Shop had some name-brand competition, she says.
"We had Dunkin' Donuts here, but we must've scared them off," she says. "I always tell everyone, we must have knocked them out of business."
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