By Julian Feurer

Duck Donuts, an American donut chain known for its made-to-order customizable cake donuts, opened a new College Park location last week. The shop on Knox Road gives students and residents a new option for donuts and coffee.

After the long-anticipated opening, Duck Donuts has experienced a hectic first week, the owner says. 

“It’s been a lot. We’re very thankful. It’s been busy but that’s a good problem,” shop owner Cameron Moore said.

Moore says he hopes Duck Donuts will continue this busy streak and become a community staple. To him, the new location is not just about the donuts, but becoming a welcoming space for students and residents. 

“I want people that live here [and] work here to be able to come by, and I want our staff to know people by name,” Moore said. 

The opening has caught the attention of students eager to try their made-to-order approach to donuts.

“This is the first donut shop I’ve been to where they make every donut you order to order … live in front of you,” sophomore computer science major Vikas Yarlagadda said. 

For some students, this new location is a chance to revisit some positive memories. Sophomore bioengineering major Sai Anuj Chodavarapu has been visiting Duck Donuts since childhood.

“I’ve been going here since I was little … Whenever I visited my family in Virginia, I’d get Duck Donuts. So I’m really excited to be here now,” Chodavarapu said.

The lasting connection Chodavarapu has with Duck Donuts represents what Moore hopes to see for this new location. Moore plans to become involved with the community by catering and hosting events. 

“People can tell their kids that, ‘Yeah, I went here,’ and … ‘We went here when I was younger.’ That’s the biggest thing: being a staple,” Moore said.

While Moore aims for Duck Donuts to become a vital member of the College Park community, their fresh cake donuts remain at the center of the experience. Duck Donuts offers both build-your-own and preset flavor cake donut options at $2.80 per donut or $24.50 per dozen.

With their opening week underway, Duck Donuts adds another food business to Knox Road. Moore hopes Duck Donuts becomes an active member of the College Park community.

Featured Image: The new Duck Donuts location in College Park is pictured on Sept. 22. Photo by Josh Hananel.