Plaza Donuts Adds Online Delivery, More Flavors

LIBERTY, Ohio – There are many exciting changes in the works at Plaza Donuts here just months after Amy Spencer and her husband took over the business Sept. 1. None of the changes, however, include the recipes the doughnut shop has used since its founding in 1962.

“We have not changed any of the recipes,” Spencer said. “The only thing we’re doing is expanding the doughnut line, so we’re having a little bit of fun with the cream sticks.”

Among the new flavors are peanut butter-filled cream stick doughnuts with chocolate icing and the “Peggy” doughnut, filled with both jelly and cream.

A ribbon-cutting was held Thursday at the Liberty location, 3437 Belmont Ave., to celebrate other additions Plaza Donuts has made under its new owners. The Spencers also purchased the Plaza Donuts in Boardman and in the bus station in downtown Youngstown.

The Spencers  re-established Sunday hours, maintaining operations seven days weekly. Starting Monday, customers will be able to order doughnuts and coffee on Plaza Donuts’ new website through Grubhub.

Since taking over the 56-year-old business, Spencer said she has hired more employees and is continuing to search for more.

“We’ve tripled our bakers,” she said. “We’ve been hiring a lot of great people and we’re looking forward to expansion.”

Many long-time customers also continue to return under the new ownership.

“Our customers are fantastic,” Spencer said. “They’ve been with the Froomkins when they ran it and they’ve stuck by us every day.”

Spencer and her husband purchased the business from Howard and Michael Froomkin, the cousins who owned and operated the business for more than 40 years.

“They of course trained us for a month prior to us taking over and they are always a phone call away,” Spencer said.

In January, Spencer is opening a new line of cereal-themed doughnuts, starting with a Fruity Pebbles-flavored doughnut. Each month she plans on offering a different themed doughnut for customers.

For Spencer’s next step, she looks to open a new Plaza Donuts location. Currently, she’s searching for a space in Austintown.

“People are at the heart of what we do here from customers to the employees,” Spencer said. “We have a great staff and we are looking forward to expanding the line and bringing Plaza Donuts to everyone in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.”

Pictured: Leo Wilifred, baker; Kari Altiere, hostess; Olivia Ward, hostess; Denise Maykowski, supervisor; Amy Spencer, co-owner; Dan Costanzo, operations manager of Plaza Donuts; and Spencer’s son Dakota Spencer and mom Margaret “Peggy” Messer cut the ribbon on Thursday to celebrate the re-opening of Plaza Donuts under new owners.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.