Next month doughnut fans in Baton Rouge may have one more place to get their sugary fried fix when the 20th Mary Lee Donuts franchise turns on its fryers at the corner of Coursey and South Sherwood Forest boulevards.
The latest addition to the growing franchise operation is owned by Paul Cho, who also operates the Mary Lee Donuts at 13847 Coursey Blvd. His new location is in a currently vacant space in the Lake Sherwood Mall Shopping Center at 4520 Sherwood Forest Blvd., which is also home to businesses that include Quarters, Subway and Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant. Construction on the storefront is currently underway, and Cho hopes to have the shop up and running by July.
Mary Lee Donuts was founded in 1969, and it now has franchises selling warm doughnuts and kolaches across Baton Rouge, Hammond and the Northshore. There are 16 locations in the Capitol Region, including the original on Florida Boulevard.
Vic Dunlap is owner of Chef Products, the central hub linking all of the franchisee-owned Mary Lee Donuts locations. He says reaching the 20th store is a milestone, but adds it is just a part of business as usual for the growing the Mary Lee chain.
Read more about Dunlap’s success in building the local Mary Lee Donut franchise—which was founded by his father, Wyman Dunlap Sr.—in a Business Report feature from last year.
—Deanna Narveson
