Alongside her family, Hey Chav spent more than 20 years running the east-side Donut Wheel that the community came to know and love.Β
When she was told last year that she couldnβt renew her lease, Chav had to close down. Hundreds of Tucsonans commented on social media posts announcing the closure. The community was devastated.
βItβs very sad because of everything we put in there β we worked so long and so hard,β Chav says. βEverybody was a family, with customers we know. Itβs like kicking us out of the house.β
But on 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, Donut Wheel β now called K Donut Wheel after Chavβs nickname β is opening its doors in a new location just a mile down the road. Itβll be open 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily after that.
β(Customers) were sad to have us go but we were giving them hope that we were relocating to a new place and they were happy and couldnβt wait to find out where it was,β Chav says.
The new location at 2775 S. Wilmot Road was built from the ground up. Chav knew she wanted a freestanding structure so they could build a drive-thru, which is something a lot of customers requested. It was also important to stay on the east side, close to their former spot atΒ 2630 S.Β Kolb Road which is now slated to become a Starbucks.
βWe wanted to be closer to the area where we were before so the customer doesnβt have to go search for us,β she says. βBeing close, everyone will come and wonβt have to travel far.β
With the new location comes a new menu that includes boba tea and espresso β and the doughnuts east-siders have fallen in love with.Β
βWe had the Donut Wheel before β we had experience before,β Chav says. βWe got our own recipe that makes the doughnuts last longer, softer. And because of the way we make (the doughnuts), they stay soft for long and it tastes different than other places. Itβs the taste itself that is different so (customers) canβt wait to get that. When we closed down, they said they didnβt know where to go now.β
Although Chav hoped sheβd be able to open K Donut Wheel sooner, construction delays pushed the date back. She said she couldnβt wait to finally announce the grand opening date to the community.
βTo see the people again that we recognize β itβs exciting. Itβs like a family,β she says. βItβs like, we were gone for a while and you come back and you see your own family.β