This doughnut shop won’t be open in Bluffton until June, but you can order now

The idea for Alljoy Donut Co. has been in the back of Bill Ellis’ mind for nearly 40 years.

Ever since Ellis first learned to bake doughnuts at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, where he graduated in 1978, he’s thought he would one day open a doughnut shop.

“This (doughnut) recipe they had just blew me away,” he said. “There are no doughnut shops around here, so I just thought, well I’m kind of too young to retire.”

Ellis, who’s operated three restaurants in Kentucky with his wife, Donna, said he hopes to open a retail shop for Alljoy Donut Co. by June at 22 Thomas Heyward St. in Bluffton.

“I’m building it out now,” he said. “I’ve been looking for a location for over a year now.”

The new shop will feature doughnuts, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, coffee, cappuccinos and espressos with indoor and outdoor seating, Ellis said.

“We’re going to do old-school doughnuts, but also gourmet doughnuts — really nice varieties,” he said.

Dulce de leche almond, chocolate cherry crumb, cherry crumb, pistachio glazed, key lime, chocolate toffee crunch and lemon meringue are just a few doughnut flavors featured on the Alljoy Donut Co. Facebook page.

If you feel like your tastebuds and stomach can’t wait for June, Ellis said he’s baking all his goods out of the Lowcountry Kitchen and delivers his doughnuts to homes and businesses throughout the community.

“We’ve been just giving out doughnuts,” he said. “Just doing a little guerrilla marketing.”

Customers can pre-order pastries on their Facebook page or call Alljoy Donut Co. for an order. Ellis said regular glazed doughnuts are 94 cents apiece or $9 per dozen, specialty doughnuts are $13 per dozen and gourmet doughnuts cost $1.50 apiece.

Details: 843-707-6860

This story was originally published March 22, 2017 at 7:56 AM with the headline "This doughnut shop won’t be open in Bluffton until June, but you can order now."