Once upon a time, in a mythical land named for its port, a donut shop opened in Old Town.
In those days, young people smoked in bar basements and generally anywhere they wanted while they overdrew their checking accounts putting $1 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon on their debit cards until 2 a.m., and “Seven Nation Army” and “Kissing the Lipless” played over the sound system.
Sometimes, they would cross the street and get a cough syrup donut from this new, anarchic shop. Some of them even got married there.
People in their 40s will tell you this was “Old Portland.” People in their 50s will tell you this was the beginning of the end.
Either way, everyone in this story grew up, with varying degrees of chemical dependency and success. Most successful of all? Probably the scrappy donut shop, which went from being a late-night spot for bar hoppers in need of a sweet treat to a multi-state chain that has become synonymous with the city it initially served.
Voodoo Doughnut, which inexplicably turned 20 this month, now has locations in Washington, Colorado, California, Texas and Florida, plus multiple shops in Oregon. Their pink donut boxes are either iconic or a way to identify tourists, or maybe both.
Voodoo Doughnut has gone so mainstream that the Bacon Maple Bar was voted Greatest Maple Glazed Donut in America in 2022 by America’s Greatest Donuts. Even the late Anthony Bourdain visited the shop.
Portland’s most loved or hated donut shop will celebrate 20 years on Tuesday, May 30, at the original location in Old Town at 22 S.W. Third Ave. from noon to 4 p.m. with 20-cent Sprinkle Cakes and founders Tres Shannon and Cat Daddy.
— Lizzy Acker
503-221-8052; lacker@oregonian.com; @lizzzyacker
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