Doughnut shop expands to larger spot in the Strip
Peace, Love & Little Donuts has moved to a larger corner spot, from 2018 Smallman St. to the space that used to house Thin Man Sandwich Shop at 50 21st St.
The move last week by owners Ron Razete and his wife, Marci, allows for more space for the kitchen and seating in a two-level shop, as well as bigger windows and a more prominent location in the Strip District.
It also brings an expanded menu to include new varieties such as blueberry pancake, French toast, lemon bar, banana split, strawberry and more. It’s also open later, until 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and until 4 p.m. Sunday.
The expansion comes a year after Mr. Razete’s financial dealings generated negative publicity. He was sentenced to five years probation by a federal court for hiding his doughnut business from bankruptcy court and cheating on his income taxes.
The tax charge pointed back to 2010, when he said he earned $16,000 while bringing in about $194,000. He also admitted that he hid income from the doughnut company in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in 2011.
At the sentencing last December, U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose told supporters in the courtroom on behalf of Mr. Razete that “It’s not about ‘accounting issues,’” she said. “It’s about lying, cheating and greed,” the Post-Gazette reported.
The sentence also required Mr. Razete to complete 300 hours of community service.
Mr. Razete, 57, of Moon, had also been an ordained minister but was defrocked.
Controversy also dogged him back in 2009, when he was called out for right-wing views he had expressed on his personal blog, despite the left-leaning slogan for his shop, “Feed your inner hippie.”
Mr. Razete and his wife opened Peace, Love & Little Donuts in 2009. The company has since expanded to include more than 30 other franchises in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Oregon, Texas, Michigan, Colorado, Virginia and West Virginia.