Port doughnut stall branches out in Mossman
THE rise and rise of Duke’s Doughnuts has continued with the sweet treat business - which originally started at the Port Douglas markets - opening its first bricks and mortar store in Mossman.
The Front Street venture officially began on Friday, March 24, after holding a “soft” opening on March 18. In the first four hours of trading the store had sold more than a thousand doughnuts and pastries. Co-owner Sally Miller said it was an easy decision to set up a store in Mossman.
“We’ve been looking for (a store location) over the last two years, trying to find the right spot, whether it be Cairns or Port Douglas, but Mossman has got such a lovely community,” Mrs Miller said.
“Everyone has been priced out of Port Douglas, house wise, and a little bit business wise, so there’s a lot of families that are now living in places like Cooya Beach, Newell and Mossman.”
Mrs Miller said they hadn’t forgotten the customers who had supported them in the early days.
“We’re doing some low season trading for the next month so it’ll just be Fridays and Saturdays at the shop,” Mrs Miller said.
“It’s not very busy in Mossman on a Sunday, so we’ll continue to do the Port Douglas markets.”
For Mrs Miller and her husband Mike Miller, Duke’s Doughnuts was born out of necessity. Six years ago the couple were “really broke” and looking for extra cash while Mrs Miller was in hospital with their third child.
“Mike was just making the doughnuts at home on his days off and we thought we could make an extra couple of hundred dollars on a Sunday at the (Port Douglas) market and that would get us out of bad debt,” Mrs Miller said.
“But then it exploded so he literally quit his full time job three months after that.”