Cloudy Donut Co. Returns to Baltimore with Pop-Up Event and Store Reopenings.
Derrick Faulcon, owner of Cloudy Donut Co., insists he never truly left Baltimore. The entrepreneur, who launched the popular vegan bakery in 2020, originally opened locations on Harford Road and South Charles Street. Recent closures of both stores left many Baltimore customers feeling abandoned as Faulcon’s team focused on expanding into New York City, where the business saw significant growth.
However, Faulcon is committed to proving otherwise. On September 15, he and his team will host a pop-up event at the 4311 Harford Road location from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, Faulcon plans to reopen both Baltimore locations on October 4.
“We could have kept both locations open and served lower-quality products,” Faulcon said in a phone interview. “Instead, we concentrated on the larger market, baking approximately 100 times more donuts for our New York shops in Nolita and Brooklyn Heights than we did in Baltimore. Now, with increased staff, resources, and experience, Baltimore will receive the same quality we offer in New York.”
Cloudy Donut Co. features a rotating menu of vegan pastries, with six to eight flavors available each week. Offerings range from the grapefruit mimosa—topped with a champagne glaze and charred grapefruit—to the sexual chocolate, which includes fudge cake crumbles and strawberries. The bakery also collaborates with other Black and Brown entrepreneurs on unique flavors and beverages. Faulcon hires staff from similar backgrounds, reflecting his own experiences growing up in South Baltimore with limited role models in business.
Faulcon’s journey in the food industry began after his release from federal prison in 2012, where he served 11 years. He established a professional network through a fitness program, meeting clients who were leasing commercial spaces. The bakery’s first location opened in 2020, following a successful stint with Home Maid’s former Towson brunch spot, which he later relocated to Key Highway. Both the bakery and Home Maid’s location closed earlier this year.
Faulcon is also looking to hire three to four new front-of-house staff members in Baltimore, with plans to mentor them. “We started this business to drive change in the community,” he said. “Our success allows us to uplift other Black and Brown individuals.”
In an Instagram post announcing the pop-up, Faulcon wrote, “Everything I do is influenced by how and where I was raised. That’s why I’m returning to Baltimore to reopen both locations and show that even ordinary Black men can achieve extraordinary things. This effort will demonstrate to my community that it’s possible to have it all.”