Old Fashioned Donuts Receives $50,000 Grant to Support Renovations.
CHICAGO – Old Fashioned Donuts, a beloved South Side donut shop, is set to receive a $50,000 grant aimed at supporting historic restaurants. This financial boost comes at a crucial time for the shop, which has been serving customers in the Roseland neighborhood for over 50 years.
Burritt Bulloch, the original owner, continues to lead the shop. At 85 years old, he reflects on the success of his business, saying, “I know I’m doing something that people love. Everybody eats donuts. I think I ran into one person at one point in my career that said, ‘I don’t eat donuts.’ And they tasted them and said, ‘That’s pretty good.'”
Bulloch opened Old Fashioned Donuts on November 4, 1972, and has been dedicated to the shop ever since. He arrives every morning at 6 a.m. and works until closing at 6 p.m., six days a week. “It keeps me going now. I know I’m doing something right because I see the same faces. And over the latter years here, I’m seeing new faces,” he noted.
Despite his success, the shop needs investment. The building’s ceiling and floors are in poor condition, and much of the donut-making equipment is original. The building itself hasn’t been updated in over a century, reflecting the changing times in the Roseland area.
“I had a lot of loyal customers,” Bulloch said. “Even after the Roseland area kind of went down, especially after the [George] Floyd incident. They came through here and ripped up everything.”
On Monday, Bulloch received positive news. He was awarded a $50,000 grant from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation through their “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” program.
Bulloch plans to use the funds for significant improvements to keep the business thriving. “We’re gonna renew the whole complete building. The flooring, the front, the grill. We’re gonna do more seating. A stand-up counter,” he explained.
Customers, both longtime and new, appreciate the investment. Minnie Watson, who traveled from Monee for a box of donuts, praised the shop: “They’re always fresh. The flavor has never changed, and the customer service is really good.”
Despite his age, Bulloch is committed to keeping this South Side donut institution open for at least another decade. “At this stage of my life, I can’t just stop. What am I going to do? I can’t sit at home. I sold my last motorcycle; I had a Harley. So I gotta keep coming here. Making donuts.”