Jimmy Barouxis, third-generation owner of Buckeye Donuts, poses with some of the donuts sold at his shop, all of which are cut, filled and coated by hand. Credit: Maya Neyman | Managing Editor for Digital Content
Flavor, nostalgia, convenience and community are some of the secret ingredients to Buckeye Donuts’ success over the decades.
For the fourth consecutive year, Buckeye Donuts has been voted best late-night eats by readers of The Lantern. Although much of High Street has changed to be almost unrecognizable, one thing has remained the same over the years — selling the same sweet treats.
Jimmy Barouxis, third-generation owner of Buckeye Donuts since 2001, said he frequently meets up with regulars from years before, especially during the football season. An instance that remains near and dear to his heart involves a man and his son who come in every October to take a photo behind the counter.
“His son is bigger than me now,” Barouxis said. “We took a picture right behind the counter every year. I think we’ve gotten about 10 years of doing that.”
For students on campus, Buckeye Donuts is frequented largely because it is quick, convenient and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week standing by their motto “open always, closed never,” Barouxis said.
But alumni go out of their way every year to come back, due to the quality, nostalgia and dedication to serving the community at every given opportunity, Barouxis said.
Payne, who has worked at Buckeye Donuts for more than 30 years, said the donuts are all cut, filled and coated by hand, as has been tradition since the shop opened. He said he thinks the quality is better than most modern donut joints as a result.
“The dough is all made by hand, it’s all hand-cut,” Payne said. “Sometimes they’ll be a little bigger and some a little smaller, though that’s the nature of hand-cut stuff — it’s better.”
With over 50 flavors to choose from, there is something for everyone, Barouxis said. Not only are the donuts all made using the same methods from when the store first opened, but they are made fresh every day of the week and twice daily five days a week.
“Let the product speak for itself — that’s the key,” Barouxis said. “That’s the number one thing and then, of course, you have to advertise it. But if you are advertising products of subpar average, it’s only going to get you so far. You won’t get the repeat business. Without repeat business, you can’t have a thriving business.”
This repeat business has paid off, and Barouxis said Buckeye Donuts has recently beaten its sales record. Although he did not share specific numbers, he said the business is doing well.
Business is booming, but Barouxis said he does not plan to expand the business in his time of owning it.
“This is enough,” Barouxis said. “You know, I don’t need anything more than this. I’d rather be small but good, rather than two or three locations and it’s just mediocre.”
Despite the reputation Buckeye Donuts has built as a late-night watering hole, Barouxis said the shop has been popular for a while. In 2001, when Barouxis took the reins, famed musician Prince came into the shop, boosting its popularity at the perfect time.
“This was pre-internet when I took over,” Barouxis said. “I had to advertise paper print advertising and word of mouth. Word of mouth is the best advertising, I think, but it takes time. But back then, the radio called me and I was here, I served him and that’s been in the paper.”
Prince is not the only well-known figure to step foot into the sweet-smelling shop during Barouxis’ reign. Dave Attell from the early 2000s Comedy Central show “Insomniac,” which covered 24-hour late-night food spots in different cities, featured Buckeye Donuts on Season 4, Episode 9, Barouxis said.
With patrons ranging from Ohio State students to international pop stars, steady business and complete ownership over the store, Barouxis said customers will never have to worry about Buckeye Donuts leaving.
“I want to keep a continual chain of Buckeye Donuts 24/7,” Barouxis said. “Buckeye Donuts is here to stay.”
