The Doughnut Plant cometh. (Photo: Jolie Ruben)
With 27 locations in Asia and one on the way in Washington, D.C., it’s about time that Doughnut Plant open a second location in its birth city of New York. The Feed has received exclusive information that the moment has come: Plant owner Mark Isreal signed a lease for a Chelsea Hotel–adjacent shop back in October, and projects a spring opening date.
The 700-square-foot, marble-floored space trumps the tiny ten-year-old flagship on Grand Street, which will remain operational, though Isreal will also make doughnuts on site in Chelsea. Fans should also be pleased to know that for the very first time there will be tables where patrons can sit, plus a full-service espresso bar. “It’s more of a doughnut lounge,” says Isreal.
In addition to offering his usual variety of cake and yeast doughnuts, cinnamon buns and churros, Isreal is working on some new items for the debut of Doughnut Plant Chelsea that are “going to be a surprise.”
The store will be located just off of the Chelsea Hotel lobby in what is now Dan’s Chelsea Guitars, and will be accessible from both the hotel and the street. “For five years I’ve been looking for a space I really wanted,” says Isreal. “I was looking for some character, some personality. I chose the Chelsea Hotel for those reasons. I like the history. I like the creativity of the whole place.”
Once the guitar shop has cleared out in the couple of weeks, Isreal will begin to build out the space. He’s looking at an April or May opening date. Will there be room service? He laughs, “I’m sure.”
HOW DOES ISRAEL PLAN TO “BUILD OUT” THE SPACE WHEN THE BUILDING’S NEW MANAGEMENT HAS PLAGUED IT WITH “STOP WORK ORDERS”???
A HOLE CANNOT BE FILLED WITH A DONUT. NOR CAN THE GREED OF NEW MANAGEMENT.
ISRAEL SHOULD SAVE HIS MONEY. AND DO HIS RESEARCH.
Ha now the greedy corporate raiders can have waistlines as inflated as their egos! Bring Back the Bard Family!!!!
PS this is an embarassment.
Note to Mr. Mark Isreal: if you honestly enjoyed creativity your life’s calling wouldn’t selling junk food to the Chinese. Thats not really creative now is it and neither is this attempt to further cheapen the Hotel Chelsea.
Will they serve a Shirley Temple so David Elder can wash down all those free donuts?
I doubt it ever gets open but if so, hopefully the “Donut Plant” has the same success as the cupcake shop that went belly up across the street from the Hotel — cupcakes being infinitely “hipper”
than donuts….
@ Dylan Fan, Death by Donut and Chelseaaites I have one question for each of you. Why, why do you WANT his failure? How will that serve either of you? Are you or have you had any affiliation with the company? I don’t understand your disgust. From my viewpoint, it’s a legal legitimate business venture that is filling a void. You may not agree with the product (doughnuts) but I look forward to their success and I’ve never, ever had one of his donuts. I will revisit this site to read your individual responses, if you have any.
What a presumtuous asswad to think his fatty fried dough will add “atmosphere” to the Chelsea Hotel. Dollars to donuts? He never opens.
Everybody knows the Chelsea Hotel is plagued with STOP WORK ORDERS from the city of NY ever since they demolished Bob Dylan’s former crash pad without applying for permits.
And this Isreal character thinks his rent check will just erase all that? He’ll be throwing his money away. And anyway donuts are completely unimaginative and not a good fit. Why he thinks he can stay in business on 23rd street when Krispy Creme could not is beyond anyone actually living here in Chelsea.
Mark you haven’t had any of “his” donuts? Um…you seem very invested for a non-consumer…so when you’re planting a comment about your own for-profit venture don’t use your own name. Hey, unless I’m totally off base and you’re just some matronly type who’s only here defending people’s right to consume lard.
@Upstair’s Neighbor you are correct, I have NOT had 1(one) donut and yes, I as you are, am a consumer. But like I said, the business is legitimate and it is legal. If he wants to give it a shot, let him. I “planted this comment” because of bloggers like you. I use my name because I don’t “fear” reprisal (I don’t hide behind this computer). I’m not just “some matronly type who’s only here defending people’s right to consume lard.” If you were the owner of a business, doing what this one guy is attempting, I would probably say the same thing. What’s it going to really hurt him for trying? What’s it going to do to you? Be glad it’s not worse. There are far worse businesses out there that do a great deal more damage to our society than this. If you are so “matronly” against it, why don’t you open up the business you believe will succeed there? Oh wait, all you have is a complaint. Right, I understand why you don’t want to use your real name.
Dear Mark since you admittedly don’t eat all that many donuts you only comment on other people’s comments about donuts, at least do the people whose comments you’re commenting on the goodwill of first reading their comments. I know you’ve got the time.
The issue isn’t really donuts, and yes, it most definitely is a legal issue because the City of New York typically prohibits construction in residential buildings that have active Stop Work Orders in place. Like the building we’re talking about. Possibly “Upstair’s Neighbor” lives upstairs from where this empty calorie cafe is supposed to break ground?
Naturally the corporate raiders running the landmark Hotel Chelsea are aware of the restrictions also, and leased the spot anyway. Opinions on the Dept of Buildings, anyone, and how they should keep off the backs of lard salesmen?
Speaking of opinions, my personal opinion is that the Hotel Chelsea is a national treasure and deserves better to fill its long long-vacant commerical spaces than this poor excuse for food service in a nation that already is grossly overweight.
@Not A Bot I have read their comments and I can only base my response on what they’ve written, not what I assume about them (where they live). You said “it most definitely is a legal issue” so how can you confirm that? You also said “New York typically prohibits” I’ll emphasize the use of the word typically. My point is you don’t know. You want to chastise the “corporate raiders” for their desire to make money. Here is my suggestion to you. Put together a petition or atleast contact someone who would be sympathetic to your cause. People who complain online via a blog are useless. It would be easy for me to sit behind my computer and tell people around me how much I don’t appreciate what is going on around me. Be proactive and talk at someone who can actually make a difference and not at me. If you believe “the Hotel Chelsea is a national treasure and deserves better” then you should have no problem standing up for what is right. You’re right this is NOT about a donut.
The story title says it all. What’s to assume?
Complain online? That means a lot coming from a guy who only comments on comments from people who you admit know more than you do. So you add nothing to the discussion.
As far as activism goes Mark — gee you’re the first to suggest such an approach — will get right to it. In the meanwhile keep on promoting donuts. You’re a good cheerleader.
Wow, what a bunch of douchebag losers in the above comments.
Have an agenda much?
Doughnut Plant sells an awesome product, some of the best donuts in the country. Maybe it is too lowbrow for you hipster douches, but a lot of people like donuts. I was psyched when Joe started selling a couple of DP’s donuts on 23rd and 9th, and this is even better news.
Btw, cupcakes may have been “hipper” but the product Burgers & Cupcakes sold was mediocre at best. There is usually demand for a quality product.
You guys also assume that you know more than the business owner and that Isreal must flying blind. A better assumption is that a businessman who has opened up over 30 donut shops probably looked into what renovations were both needed and allowed.
Get over yourselves, you arrogant twats.
oh puleeze “big b”, save it. the blow-nut plant will never open at the hotel chelsea. all of their renovation applications were turned down. so sad!
As if selling American junk food to the Japanese is any great feat of imagination. Hardly.
Big B you sound like you’re on the payroll.
Sarah - you can also read plant-ed comments by “Big B” –exclusively about doughnuts, of course — at VanishingNewYork.com He apparently can’t say enough good things about doughnuts.
Oh what I meant to say was this wouldn’t even be a blip if it didn’t concern the Hotel chelsea. the hotel’s longtime commercial tenants have been cleared out only to invite this renter? got to have its roots in payoffs and/or nepotism.
Plant-ed? You’re funny. I also commented about Knickerbocker meat replacing that dirty disgusting “neighborhood gem” butcher before it, and Sullivan St. Bakery replacing the old bakery that serves pastries only palatable by senior citizens. Both welcome additions to my neighborhood.
If you cared about food, rather than activism, you’d have seen my hundreds of posts on Eater for years that clearly show that I do not have agenda. I go to food blogs because I care about the food. You’re the only ones working an angle here.
In my opinion, we should all boycott this doughnut dump. After all, it is their greed that forced Dan’s Guitars to leave the space he held for almost 18 years. Don’t buy the junk food they’ll be pushing!!!!
lighten up people! these are awesome doughnuts. i for one am thrilled.
Mark Israel is a 3rd generation baker fro the south, who has, quite frankly re-invented the doughnut. He makes his own fruit glazes & thinks seasonly. My birthday is in July & that usually means a mango or peach glazed doughnut. Not content to give you 1 meager burst of jelly, Mark makes square jelly doughnuts with four pockets of gooey goodness. I’m thrilled to hear that there’s an espresso bar–his chai is the best I’ve had in the city. Be happy. Be flexible.
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