SWEET! Popular local donut shop expanding beyond London

SWEET Popular local donut shop expanding beyond London

The Railway City is getting a sweet new addition this summer.

The Railway City is about to get a sweet new addition.

London’s Boxcar Donuts, along with its sister company Commonwealth Coffee, is expanding, with its shop at 308 Wellington St. in St. Thomas set to open in late July.

“We’re so grateful that St. Thomas has been so welcoming,” owner Karri Egan said, speaking from the new site on Friday.

“We’re excited to be here and excited to share,” she said, noting the London shops typically see many customers driving from out of town. “Now, people don’t have to leave St. Thomas to come get donuts.”

The expansion will bring 10 to 15 new jobs for those living in or around St. Thomas, Egan said, adding its important Boxcar prioritizes local whenever possible. The company has 32 employees between its two London locations, 478 Richmond St. (inside Commonwealth Coffee Shop) and 1673 Richmond St.

Boxcar Donuts has two locations in London and is opening a third location in St. Thomas in July.
Boxcar Donuts has two locations in London and is opening a third location in St. Thomas in July.

But the craft coffee and delicious donuts don’t stop there.

With sales booming during the pandemic, allowing the company to expand and buy more equipment to create more flavors, Egan and her team have their eyes set on the rest of Southwestern Ontario.

“We’re opening four to five more locations this year,” she said, noting Windsor is next in line.

Customers looking to indulge their sweet tooth can explore the company’s artisanal and ever-changing flavored donuts, from lemon meringue pie to churro and biscoff cheesecake.

Construction at the St. Thomas site is expected to begin July 1 and end later that month. Since announcing the move on social media last week — one week prior to its third anniversary — the response from the public has been “overwhelmingly amazing,” Egan said.

“We’ve had hundreds of direct messages” about the expansion and hiring process, she said.

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The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada



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