A little more than a year ago, local franchisees shared that they were bringing the Parlor Doughnuts chain to Wichita. In December, they announced that they were taking over the old Hurts Donut space at 7010 W. 21st St. At the time, they said they’d likely be open by spring.
Progress on the building has taken longer than expected, but an end is finally in sight, said Byron Smith, one of the franchisees. The Parlor Doughnuts signs recently went up on the building, and Smith said that the shop is on track to open in mid-September.
This week, Smith and general manager William Harrington gave me a tour of the new shop, which will specialize in layered doughnuts — doughnut-meets-croissant creations more commonly known by the trademarked word “cronut.”
The shop’s signature tile floors are installed. The espresso machine and the display cabinets are in place. And murals have been painted on the walls. When I was there on Monday, the shop’s furniture was scattered about the dining room, and an electrician was installing pendant lights…