Famous for its unicorn doughnuts and its pink hot chocolates, the shop on Church Street will open from Wednesdays to Sundays every week in lockdown.

It has also bucked the economic downturn by moving its operation from a small unit in Harrogate into a new, larger bakery in Layerthorpe and expanding its staff from four to 16.

It plans to open another shop at the Layerthorpe bakery once lockdown is over.

Even during recent lockdowns, owner Evie Jackson managed to keep customers sweet by launching a mail-order service. Doe products are now also available via Just Eat.

Doe York's shop front in Church Street

Evie is this week's Trader of the Week, nominated by a Press reader who said: "You can spot Doe a mile off with its bright side exterior. There is absolutely nothing like it anywhere in York, or North Yorkshire for that matter.

"There is something for everyone at Doe with an equal amount of vegan and non-vegan products. Speciality coffee and hot chocolates which come in every colour of the rainbow are also available."

If you would like to nominate our next Trader of the Week, click here. Likewise, if you are a trader doing something new, exciting or different - or going the extra mile for your customers, click here to tell us about it!

It's not surprising that Doe is getting a 'hole' lotta love from customers for its outlandish products.

Vegan doughnuts

Evie set up the business in Harrogate in August 2019 with her brother Shea Jackson, chief doughnut maker, with the aim to be as bright and garish as possible, both in the design of the shop and its products - appealing to the Instagram generation.

The idea paid off as the business has gone from strength to strength.

Colourful food and drink from Doe

She opened her second shop last summer - in between the first and second lockdowns - in shared premises with Humpit in Church Street. She has seen sales and demand grow ever since.

Evie said: "Everybody wants to take a photo and everybody wants something bright, fun and sugary, especially in current times. They want something to keep them going and perk up their day. People really enjoy it."

The Doe menu is extensive. While the unicorn doughnut was a big hit last year, the current best seller is the Biscoff variety, said Evie. Also popular are the gem stone doughnuts which feature a bright coloured piece of crystallised sugar on top. "People love them, they look amazing!" she said.

For this month, to tie in with Veganuary, they have also been selling a vegan range of doughnuts.

Also popular, added Evie, was the doughnut cake comprising of three tiers of doughnut and alphabet-shaped mini doughnuts which allow people to spell out their own messages.

Jewelled doughnuts from Doe, left, and doughnut maestro Shea Jackson

Evie, 28, a former secondary school PE teacher, fell into the doughnut business by sheer chance.

She originally opened a funky clothing shop in Harrogate, but added a doughnut counter at the front of the shop to draw in customers.

The doughnuts proved more popular than the clothes, so she decided to switch direction - and never looked back.

The Harrogate Doe, in Bower Street, will open from Tuesday.

The York shop in Church Street is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10am to 4.30pm and on Sundays from 11am to 4pm.

For more, visit: doefoods.com

Don't forget to  click here to nominate our next Trader of the Week.

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