Iconic New Albany Donut Shop Honey Creme Donuts Up for Sale After Nearly 80 Years.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – After almost 80 years in business, Honey Creme Donuts, a beloved New Albany staple, is now on the market. The donut shop, located at 514 Vincennes Street, has been a community favorite since the 1940s.
Founded in the late 1940s, the shop has been family-owned and operated through four generations.
“Mr. Bailey started the donut shop back in the late ’40s,” co-owner Andrea Van Horn explained. “We traced it back to 1946, and it was my husband’s grandfather who founded the business. Being part of Mr. Bailey’s legacy means so much to us.”
The shop is filled with traces of its rich history, including original equipment from the 1940s that is still in use today.
Van Horn shared that it took a few years after opening to settle on the name Honey Creme Donuts. She hinted that the name might have something to do with their unique donut-making process, but remained tight-lipped about the details.
“People think it’s got something to do with our recipes, and well… that’s a family secret,” she said with a smile.
Honey Creme Donuts has become a fan favorite in the area, even earning the title of “Best Donut in Southern Indiana” from Southern Living Magazine.
“We’ve got customers coming in with their memories, talking about how they used to stop by on their way to school or fishing trips with their fathers and grandfathers,” Van Horn said. “I started a memory book and placed it on the counter because we hear these stories all the time.”
Now, Van Horn and her husband are ready for a new chapter and have decided to sell the shop through an online auction. The auction will run from October 11 to October 17, with a starting price of $750,000.
“What excites me is that this allows someone outside the family to step into a turnkey business,” Van Horn said.
The family is open to a variety of business ideas, whether the new owners choose to keep the shop’s legacy intact or explore a new direction.
“It’s nearly a century-old business,” Van Horn noted. “If someone wanted to take it as it is and continue the tradition, we’d be happy to assist in preserving that legacy.”
Honey Creme Donuts has become more than just a place to grab a sweet treat – it’s a part of New Albany’s history, and now, it’s ready to embark on its next chapter under new ownership.
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