90-year-old Shipley Do-Nuts is moving into Michigan for the first time, signing a 15-unit franchise development agreement with Auburn Hills-based Hole Lotta Dough, LLC to expand across Metro Detroit's Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties. The first location is targeted to open in late Q1 2027.

The deal calls for three additional shops per year over four years, yielding 15 total units across a five-year development window. The agreement follows Shipley's recent announcement of a three-unit franchise deal in Cincinnati, making Michigan the latest marker in the brand's deliberate push into Midwest markets.

The Franchise Partner

Hole Lotta Dough's leadership team grew up in Houston and brings more than 20 years of experience operating in Metro Detroit's gas and convenience store sector. That operational background in high-volume, quick-service environments is a strategic fit for a concept built around 3 a.m. baking starts and a guaranteed Hot Glazed product window that runs until 10 a.m. daily. "Hole Lotta Dough brings the local expertise and Houston-to-Detroit connections to bring Shipley to life the right way in a brand-new market," said Flynn Dekker, CEO of Shipley Do-Nuts.

The Menu Pitch

For operators evaluating the brand's competitive positioning, the menu has two anchors competitors in the donut daypart typically lack. The first is Shipley's signature hexagon-cut glazed donut, made fresh in an on-site working bakery. The second is Texas-style kolaches — savory breakfast sandwiches of sausage, egg, bacon, jalapeño, and cheese wrapped in fresh-baked dough — a format still largely unfamiliar to Midwest consumers and one that extends ticket frequency into lunch and snack occasions. The beverage program layers in drip coffee and espresso drinks, including a Classic Glazed Latte with cold foam and donut crumbles, designed to compete directly in the morning beverage window that drives QSR and fast-casual breakfast sales.

Growth Metrics and Market Timing

Shipley operates more than 390 franchised and company-owned locations across 13 states. The brand ranked No. 77 on the 2026 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list — its third consecutive appearance — and No. 142 on the 2026 Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurants list for the second consecutive year. It also holds the No. 134 spot on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 for 2026, ranking No. 1 in its category.

The Michigan entry arrives as the brand marks its 90th anniversary, a milestone that sharpens the narrative around heritage and authenticity at a time when donut and specialty bakery concepts have seen renewed operator and consumer interest. Franchise opportunities remain open across the South, Southeast, and Midwest for qualified operators.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.