Fillinger is a firefighter with the city of Trotwood but has been making donuts with a couple shops in the area since 2011. He worked with the owner of Stan the Donut Man in West Chester.
“I’ve always wanted to do it. It’s really fun. So, I decided to get into it now. It is a wild time to get into it with COVID and everything, but I feel it’s time and I’m excited for it,” Fillinger said. “I’ve just never jumped on it. It’s time. I’m 30, now is the time to do it.”
Glazed Donut Eatery will make donuts fresh on site, Fillinger said.
Along with the donuts, Fillinger will make cookies, fritters and cinnamon rolls. He also plans to have a small selection of ice cream in the shop and, of course, coffee.
He hopes to be open by National Donut Day, which is June 4, if the weather and pandemic permit.
Fillinger made big progress on opening when construction workers tore down part of the old Stan the Donut Man building earlier this month. The building was out of code and he needed more room to make donuts on site, so he decided to start with “a clean slate.”
“We needed a lot more room for the equipment, the mixers, the fryers, all that stuff. Obviously, and then stuff for code with vans and grease traps and all that jazz. So that we obviously needed a lot more room. And then also, inside dining area, and then an area for showing cases and all that stuff so we needed a significant amount of room, almost doubling, doubling and a half of the building is going back.
Fillinger said he is excited to have a donut shop along the bike path. He plans to have outdoor seating so that bikers can stop there or Xenia residents can come visit after church or other events downtown.
Fillinger said his parents live in Xenia.
“They’re just as excited as I am,” Fillinger said. “They see the need for it.”
Fillinger’s friend from high school, Ryan Tripp, is also in the donut business.
Tripp owns Donut Haus and Bear Creek Donuts.
“This is definitely out of his norm, but he is a hard worker and not afraid to work long hours,” Tripp said.
Tripp said the donut business is extremely local, so his shops in Miamisburg and Springboro likely won’t compete with Fillinger’s shop in Xenia.
“But it seems like the hometown is behind it, so he’ll do well,” Tripp said. “I think he’ll do well in Xenia. People are super excited about it.”
Fillinger said Tripp has been like a mentor to him in the donut business.
“I feel like I am at a time in my life where I’m ready to start new adventures and I feel like this would be something that I want to expand on,” Fillinger said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do something, that my family has wanted to do. We’re ready for it.”
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