Davis Square Could Get Its Own Independent Doughnut Shop

An empty retail space near Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar was recently zoned to make way for a new a doughnut shop in the early stages of planning, baker and restaurateur Kyriakos Kouzoukas said.

Kouzoukas has been in the restaurant business for 20 years. Currently, he operates a small restaurant in central Massachusetts, which he declined to name out of respect for his current staff and customer base.

"What I like is the coffee/doughnut business. That's what I'm good at," Kouzoukas said. From 1998 to about 2009, he owned and operated a chain of quick-service doughnut shops in central Massachusetts called Dozen Donuts, which was eventually purchased by Dunkin' Donuts.

"It was more of a Dunkin' Donuts model. It looked the same," he said. "Overall, it was a better business than what Dunkin' does. But the product was similar to Dunkin'. This product will not be similar to Dunkin'. It’s far, far better. It’s more of a specialty, gourmet doughnut," Kouzoukas said, comparing it to Union Square Donuts and Blackbird Doughnuts. "[Such shops are] popping up all over the country, here and there," he said.

Kouzoukas expects to have several dozen different flavor combinations that will rotate in and out of the future shop, including specialty toppings, jams, and flavors. He also plans to offer "top of the line coffee." Kouzoukas added he hasn't started sourcing products yet, as the shop is far in the future.

The space at 377 Summer St. is about four years old and hasn't housed any retail yet, so a full buildout is necessary. The baker and his business partner, property owner Christos Poutahidis, are working with an architect to make a cozy space, Kouzoukas said. Work has not begun, as the team is still waiting on a few more OKs from the city. Kouzoukas declined to estimate a timeframe, but during a Davis Square Action Group meeting late last month, the team anticipated buildout would take four months.

Davis Square Doughnuts is a working title, Kouzoukas said.

UPDATE, MARCH 2016: It will be called Davis Square Donuts and Bagels. The photo accompanying this article has been updated.