Beloved Detroit Donut Shop Reopens Under New Ownership

DETROIT — A popular Detroit donut shop officially reopened under new ownership Friday after being closed for more than two years.

Dutch Girl Donuts reopened its iconic shop, located on Woodward Avenue at 7 Mile Road, where it has stood since 1947. Videos posted to social media showed people lining up early to get their hands on those beloved donuts.

The donut shop shut down operations in September 2021 due to staffing shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few weeks later, Gene Timmer, the owner and founder of the beloved donut shop, died from complications due to cancer. He was 75 years old.

The building was then listed for sale in April and sat empty for more than a year.

The shop was then purchased by Paddy Lynch, who also owns Detroit's historic bathhouse, The Schvitz, and is a third-generation funeral director with Lynch and Sons.

Lynch also revealed that Jon Timmer, the son of late owners Gene and Lauren Timmer, would make the family recipes.