Voodoo Doughnut opens its first Illinois location in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood
The famed Portland bakery chain’s Windy City outpost brings its total to 22 in the U.S.
The Chicago location of Voodoo Doughnut, at 945 W Randolph St, is the 22nd location of the popular bakery chain.
Before the Chicago Voodoo Doughnut’s official December 16 opening, local leaders, members of the press, and other VIPs were invited to a pre-opening gathering on December 14 to try the wares.
A pretzel doughnut—a raised yeast doughnut twisted into the familiar shape of the namesake snack—will be sold exclusively at the Chicago Voodoo Doughnut.
The menu offers several vegan items like the Old Dirty Bastard (in honor of the late Wu-Tang Clan rapper), a ring with chocolate frosting, chocolate crème-filled cookies, and peanut butter drizzle
Attendees at the December 14 Voodoo Doughnut pre-opening party included Dreamy Sweetie (Instagram: dreamy_sweetie), a model who celebrates Harajuku and Lolita styles.
Before joining Voodoo Doughnut in 2018, CEO Chris Schultz also served nearly nine years at MOD Pizza (where he oversaw the company’s notable U.S. expansion) and more than 13 years at Starbucks.
The company’s signature Voodoo Doll is a raised doughnut filled with raspberry jelly, topped with chocolate icing, and a pretzel-stick pin.
Voodoo Doughnut Training Manager Wesley Moreno, right, demonstrates how the doughnuts sold at each location are made and decorated by hand.
Rotating displays at the front of the store showcase the daily offerings, which include favorites regularly on the menu (like the Maple Bacon Bar) as well as seasonal and limited-time items.
Most of the ingredients, including icings and fruit fillings, are fresh but shelf stable to help reduce costly spoilage, and to keep the products up to Voodoo Doughnut’s high-quality standards.
Like all the other Voodoo Doughnut locations, the Chicago store will sell items made fresh onsite daily by trained bakers.
Voodoo Doughnut—a Portland-based bakery chain known for its original, sometimes whimsical creations—has just opened its latest location. While the 2,400-square-foot Chicago store (sited in the city’s Fulton Market neighborhood) opened to the public on December 16, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Chief Editor Jenni Spinner got a sneak preview at the Voodoo Doughnut location at a pre-opening party on December 14.
The bakery chain currently operates in its home state of Oregon, as well as Washington, Colorado, California, Arizona, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida. Most of the locations are retail stores on city streets, but hungry travelers can pick up a signature treat from Voodoo Doughnut locations in Denver’s and Nashville’s airports.
According to Voodoo Doughnut CEO Chris Schultz, when seeking out suitable cities to call the newest store home, the Windy City soon rose to the top of the list.
“Renowned for its vibrant culinary landscape, Chicago emerged as the ideal location for Voodoo's inaugural Midwest store,” he says. “When the opportunity arose in Fulton Market, known for its diverse array of dining establishments, it became evident that we had to seize the moment.”
The bright-pink Voodoo Doughnut building is situated close to several popular restaurants, including The Girl and the Goat (run by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard) and Au Cheval. It also is just a very short walk from the Morgan stop on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Green Line, which could mean a steady stream of commuters will be stopping by for coffee and a sweet treat before hopping on the el for their morning commute.
Schultz says while the Chicago location is the latest Voodoo Doughnut spot to be added to their list of locations, more are likely to be announced.
“We expect to expand at a similar or even accelerated rate, continuously seeking the ideal match in both city and store locations to spread the Voodoo Magic to local communities,” Schultz says.
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