Spudnuts (Apr, 1952)
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Apr, 1952
Buy on Ebay
What a great name. I’d never heard of Spudnuts before reading this but now I’m curious to try them. They seem to still be around.
|
Their Potatoes Make Dough
Don’t say doughnuts to the Pelton brothers, say Spudnuts. They glamorized the lowly spud and made themselves a fortune in the process.
By H. W. Kellick
AL and Bob Pelton were suckers for sinkers—doughnuts, that is. They’d eaten glazed doughnuts, chocolate covered doughnuts and just plain doughnuts. They were also eager to make lots of money and doughnuts got them to thinking.
“Why can’t we invent a new kind of doughnut?” Al said one day over a cup of coffee and a doughnut. Just like that.
Today, the brothers Pelton never mention the word doughnut. Say Spudnut and you’ll draw a smile from them, though. For they’re out to supplant the common doughnut with their million-dollar idea—a delicious potato pastry.
As a matter of fact, the Peltons are now selling more than three-quarters of a million dozen Spudnuts per month. To date they’ve franchised 350 shops throughout the United States, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii.
When the brothers hit on the Spudnut idea, they spent endless hours planning on how to get started. If they could introduce their product they felt that they could certainly earn more money than they were getting at their respective jobs as electrical-appliance salesman and drugstore clerk.Between them they had $75 in cash. That was enough to rent a tiny store. There, they started to work out their formula—dough tastefully flavored with potato water. The idea failed. They thought for awhile that they were washed up and their big dream shattered.
Undaunted, they continued to experiment. This time they tried mashed-potato doughnuts. After making a batch, they passed out a few samples among friends. The golden brown potato doughnuts looked attractive and the folks liked the taste of this product. Even the smell was wonderful. Everyone, who sampled the doughnuts liked them.
Satisfied with their invention, the Peltons held a minor celebration. They staged a little party and in an informal ceremony they christened their product Spudnut.
Handicapped by lack of money, the boys at first worked without modern equipment. Like Army KP’s they peeled and mashed thousands of potatoes by hand until they saw potatoes in their sleep.
Slowly, they introduced their brainchild to the local public. The customers gobbled them up and came back for repeat orders. Soon the brothers had saved enough to buy an automatic peeler and masher.
Experimenting further, the boys tried out many new methods to ease their labors. Finally, they hit on a dry potato mix that eliminated all their major troubles. There were no more tough sessions peeling and mashing potatoes.
Shortly after the Peltons got started they received many requests from local dealers who desired to handle the Spudnut product. At first, the Peltons rebelled. They wanted to hog the idea for themselves. Then the boys got to thinking. If a whole lot of dealers handled Spudnuts, they reasoned, we might get into the franchise business and thus spread our Spudnuts all over the world.
Within a few months, the Peltons entered the franchise business. The idea grew so rapidly that soon it was necessary to set up a special Franchise Department. Salt Lake City became the home base where a complete mix plant and warehouse is in operation.
Shipping to distant points became an important part of the new, growing enterprise. So the Peltons looked around for a suitable distribution area. After considering many cities, they settled on Cleveland, Ohio, to act as a pivot in handling distribution throughout the east.
Now they’re planning to build prefabricated stores which can be put up in a jiffy. The Peltons expect to be roaring into action with their ready-made stores soon. Anyone with as little as $1,750 can get started with a Spudnut Shop. For this money, the Peltons furnish a franchise and all the necessary production equipment.
Of course, the new operator must set up and pay for the decoration of his store. On the whole, the average Spudnut Shop costs $5,000 to open up for business.
Included in cost of a franchise is a half ton of mix—ten 100-pound bags, enough to produce 1,680 dozen Spudnuts. With Spudnuts selling at 50c a dozen, this represents $840 of the initial franchise fee back.
There’s no stopping the brothers now. And should you ever meet them, remember, don’t mention the word doughnut. They abhor it. In fact, they’re working on a little deal right now with a guy named Webster—they want to replace the word doughnut with Spudnut in the dictionary.
There’s still at least one Spudnut shop operating, here in Charlottesville Virginia. And I’ll tell you, as a big doughnut lover (dad was a cop) they’ll the best.
Comment by mckenzie — May 24, 2006 @ 7:10 am
There is a Spudnuts here on Orangethorpe Ave in Anaheim California. But, I am having a difficult time getting straight answers out of the owners as to whether this was from original franchise or is the name free domain?
Comment by John Watson — August 10, 2006 @ 12:27 pm
My daughters remember Spudnuts from highschool(1940’s) and were thrilled to find one in Richland, Wa. Are there any shops in the Spokane,WA/Coeur d’Alene,Id area?
Comment by Mary Taylor — August 10, 2006 @ 2:41 pm
Hi to everyone, My name is Randy Nies and I own a spudnut shop in Dumas Texas,and I must say that I also have eaten what is called spudnuts in the past that im sure are not, I also have bought the recipe for the spudnut donut and I think that we should have a donut cookoff and see who really has the best and true spudnut… any comments please send Thanks
Comment by Randy Nies — September 9, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
In Milwaukee WI during the late 60’s and early 70’s there was a Spudnut shop on Milwaukees north side.With a family of nine.My father would treat us on saturday mornings by purchasing 2 boxes of spudnut doughnuts..You will never forget the taste of this product..We still talk about them to this day and thats is 25 years ago..
Comment by James — December 25, 2007 @ 9:28 pm
Saw the following post and wondered if Franchises are still available or if the recipe can be
bought. We had one of these back in the early ’60’s in my hometown in Alabama and I loved them.
They just melted in your mouth. I would love to have the recipe just to bake them for special
occassions for my family. Any information available. Thanks, Wanda
“Hi to everyone, My name is Randy Nies and I own a spudnut shop in Dumas Texas,and I must say that I also have eaten what is called spudnuts in the past that im sure are not, I also have bought the recipe for the spudnut donut and I think that we should have a donut cookoff and see who really has the best and true spudnut… any comments please send Thanks”
Comment by Wanda Carwile — March 28, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
My grandmother ran a spudnut shop in Logan, West Virginia in the 1950’s. I saw a T.V. program this morning (April 20, 2008) that reminded me of that shop. This led me to do some research to see if today’s products cost $$$$ would allow going into that business. What do you think?
Comment by George Mathis — April 20, 2008 @ 8:50 am
I am located in New Mexico and would like to start a Spudnut Shop like to one that was in my town when I was a boy. It seems like it is a big secret when trying to find out about franchise information. If anyone knows how I can find out the ins and outs of the Spudnut business would they please respond. I thank you in advance.
Comment by Larry DeWees — April 23, 2008 @ 12:25 am
My Dad starts his morning every day with a trip to spudnuts. He says every destination starts from spudnuts. He won’t go anywhere else and he’s been going there since before I can remember. I have to admit, it holds fond memories for me as well, since he would quite often take me there after school or a doctor’s visit. He has recently settled for wafflehouse since the spudnuts in Mentor, Ohio is not open everyday for him.
Comment by Jamie — June 2, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
Ah! - Spudnuts - Memories - Time period 1954/55 - Door to Door selling
As a young kid I remember someone had a franchise in the Austin, MN area.
They hired a few of us to sell Spudnuts door to door in the Rochester, MN area on Satuday mornings.
I had a regular route - sort like a trap line - lots of fun.
I did it for a few months - good memories. Great experience meeting people / selling / etc.
Moved on to being a “paper boy” ( today - delivery person )for a couple of years.
For some reason today I recalled the term: Spudnuts - wondered what had happened.
Like life - things go in cycles - Someday someone will rekindle the “flame/embers” for those wonderful spudnuts on a national basis. As I see from the websites - They are still available in limited areas of the U.S.
“Memories”
Mike
Comment by Mike — June 5, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
Well, I too grew up on spudnuts in a little town called Pampa Texas and have always wonderd why the franchise didnt. Lasts..
Funny Randy from Dumas, Texas. My daughter was born there in the mid 80’s and is no Gluten
intolerant (celiac disease). Which means she will never eat a doughnut ever aging without severe
health problems. ut she can have potatoes, rice, corn. Is there anyway to get the recipe or ingrediants for franchise info. we live in SE texas now .. Maybe the franchise thing could come back.
Comment by Brenda Forman — June 6, 2008 @ 12:59 am
I owned and operated a Spudnut Shop in New Orleans,La. from 1955 until 1970.A lot of fond memories anda hell of a lot of hard work.You were married to the Spudnut Shop.Never had a day off for the
first ten years and never took a vacation. Switched my operation to making Buscuits(1/4 the
prep time.
Comment by Barry Drufner — July 4, 2008 @ 7:26 am
I too am wondering why everything is so hush, hush about the Spudnut franchises. Are there not any available anymore? I’ve heard from several that would love the start a shop in their hometown.
Comment by Wanda — July 4, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
My name is Leah Skinner and I grew up in Richland Washington where one of hte most successful Spudnut shop is still open. I no longer live in Washington and would like to open up a Spudnut shop where I live. I too am having a hard time trying to find out franchise information. If someone who owns a shop would be kind enough to contact me I would appreciate it. leah_skinner@yahoo.com. Thanks
Comment by Leah — August 2, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
I think Spudnuts would be a great addition to the New York City area. I would like information about every thing involved in starting a Spudnut franchise.
thanks
Comment by Scott Umland — August 8, 2008 @ 9:46 am
We had one in Jamestown NY during the 50s. A great family treat was heading over there with my father to bring home a dozen. You can Google to find a list of the remaining shops…mostly on the LA area.
Comment by Strong — August 10, 2008 @ 3:34 am
Back in the late 1950’s to about 1963 I lived in Columbia MO - I was 9 in 1958 and I sold newspapers on the street, the Columbia Tribune and the Columbia Missourian - plus many other odd jobs such as cleaning gutters and weeding gardens and collecting soda bottles at the building site of the hospital - there was a spud nut shop near the red campus where I picked up papers for the Columbia Missourian - I loved them ( the spud nuts )- one day I asked the owners if I could load bags of them in the baskets of my bike ( front and bothe sides ) get them on credit and then sell them door to door - they said okay and I sold them on Saturdays all over town for quite some time - I bought a tent, camping gear, clothes, indian lore craft items(leather, beads, feathers etc ) and balsa wood and an xacto set to make fishing lures and the best thing - a pure bred Irish Setter for $75 ! wow I still look back on that with great fondness
Comment by mike — September 17, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
For everyone who’s been looking for info about Spudnut franchises, a little seaching turned up this page:
http://ruthvenphotos.com/files/spudnuts.html
Which, among other things, says that Spudnuts is no longer a national company. Spudnuts shops still open apparently have their own recipes, because they’re no longer getting their mix from anyone.
If you want a mix to try to make some at home http://sbuddies.com/ sells their own version.
Comment by Anne — September 17, 2008 @ 2:43 pm