GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A Beltline Avenue business that serves up doughnuts is expanding.

Bro’s Doughs is putting the finishing touches on its second location, located next to the Starbucks on Fuller Avenue near I-196. The shop offers made-to-order mini-doughnuts with topping options like apple crisp, maple bacon, chocolate caramel pretzel and thin mint.

“We’ll fry every single doughnut up fresh to order when you come in, on the spot and top them real quickly for you. So you’re getting fresh, hot, made-to-order mini-doughnuts,” Brodie Hock, owner and operator, said.

Their most popular doughnut is the CinnaBro, Hock said.

He opened the first location around three years ago and has been “humbled and grateful” by its success.

Bro’s Doughs owner and operator Brodie Hock.

“It’s been just a pleasure to serve Grand Rapids doughnuts,” Hock said. “So here we are round two, and our second location, we’re really excited about it.”

Hock, who grew up in Saginaw, went to college in Grand Rapids with his wife. He worked in the golf industry for a while before he and his wife moved back to Grand Rapids to start up Bro’s Doughs.

Bro's Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.
Bro’s Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.
Bro's Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.
Bro’s Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.

The first half of the shop’s name comes from Brodie Hock’s nickname, Bro, a name his dad called him growing up. The second half was inspired by his daughter, now a 6-year-old.

“When my daughter … was a little younger, she couldn’t quite say ‘doughnut.’ So she would just call them ‘doughs,'” Hock explained.

Hock aims to provide “a better way to doughnut” — the store’s tagline — at Bro’s Doughs, from the product to the experience and service.

“I often tell the staff that even if we were rude to our customers, we’d probably still do OK, because the doughnuts (are) that good,” he joked. “But that’s not what we endeavor to do. So you’re hopefully being greeted with a smile, warm, welcoming. Hopefully, Bro’s is just a bright spot in your day.”

Bro's Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.
Bro’s Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.

He’s excited about the location as it’s near downtown, hospitals, schools and the highway. He said he “couldn’t pass up on” it.

Being next to the Starbucks, the parking lot is always busy — the only “deterring factor,” he said, but he hopes it won’t keep people from stopping by.

“The pros just far outweigh the cons,” he said. “So even though I understand that it’s not the easiest to get in and out of, (it) doesn’t look like it’s slowing down people from going to Starbucks. So we’re hopeful that it won’t slow down people from going to Bro’s.”

Bro's Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.
Bro’s Doughs is opening its second location at 465 Fuller Avenue NE near I-196.

Hock said the response from the community has been “overwhelming,” and the amount of people who have asked about it opening, or even tried pulling on the door to see if they could come in yet, made him feel like he put up a billboard.

He said he’s grateful for the support Grand Rapids has given Bro’s Doughs and is excited to offer a new location.

“Our goal isn’t to take over the world and become the next Dunkin’ Donuts. But as a provider for the family, it’s good to wake up and put your hand to something and build something,” he said. “(It) definitely makes it easier when you get some level of success. And we’ve had that through the generosity of customers and patrons in Grand Rapids.”

While the new Bro’s Doughs location doesn’t have an official opening day yet, Hock said it will be open by or before June 2, which is National Doughnut Day.

For more information on what the doughnut shop has to offer, go to brosdoughs.com.