Local bakery and donut shop form a sweet alliance to compete against chains

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Two locally owned bakeries with slightly different concepts — one focusing on cupcakes and pastries, the other a doughnut shop — are collaborating to help better serve their customers and compete against an influx of doughnut-shop chain locations in the Dayton area.

RELATED: After 32 years, local doughnut-shop owner to sell his business

"Beginning Feb. 9, we will also be a doughnut shop, featuring doughnuts from the fabulous Bear Creek Donuts," Justin Livingston, owner of Moore Dessert Please, said in a Facebook post. The bakery at 1003 Shroyer Road in Dayton near the Oakwood border will offer doughnuts from Miamisburg's Bear Creek Donuts on Fridays and Saturdays, along with its own signature cinnamon rolls, muffins and coffee, Livingston said.

Bear Creek Donuts and Moore Dessert Please will collaborate to expand customer offerings and help compete against national chains. Photo from Bear Creek Donuts Facebook page

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Ryan Tripp — co-owner of Bear Creek Donuts and, more recently, the Donut Haus Bakery in Springboro — told this news outlet that Livingston "reached out to me in late December and inquired about adding doughnuts to their lineup. His shop, which has an outstanding reputation, definitely caught my interest. He is interested in selling our specialty doughnuts as well as some of our house-roasted coffee. We at Bear Creek are also interested in possibly carrying some of his baked items."

RELATED: Donut Haus employee to open his own doughnut shop

Tripp said the collaboration shows “how independents can work together to compete against chains. It is helping us both emerge in markets that are new to us.”

Brittany Moore takes a phone order at her business, Moore Dessert Please, a cupcake shop and bakery at 1003 Shroyer Road in Dayton. The Wall Street Journal has proclaimed that the gourmet-cupcake market is "crashing." Local gourmet-cupcake entrepreneurs beg to differ. They say southwest Ohio residents have proven they have a powerful -- and sustained -- hunger for cupcakes and other baked sweets, although some say they've expanded their offerings to keep up with the market. A UD professor says there's an inherent risk in jumping into a "trend" business, and as the market matures and becomes saturated, only those nimble enough to evolve quickly will survive in the long run.JIM WITMER / STAFF

Credit: Jim Witmer

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Credit: Jim Witmer

Two of the largest doughnut-store chains in the country — Dunkin’ Donuts and Tim Hortons — have added new locations in the Dayton area, and say that more shops are in the works.

RELATED: More Tim Hortons restaurants are on the way, in part to challenge Dunkin’ Donuts

Livingston said Bear Creek’s doughnuts will be “a great combination” with the 200-plus flavors of cupcakes that his own bakery offers. While the doughnuts will initially be available at Moore Dessert Please only on Fridays and Saturdays, “There is a chance we could pick up other days as well,” Livingston said.

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“Both Ryan and I really believe in supporting small business and working together,” Livingston said. “I realize there are a lot of other doughnut shops in the area, but with Bear Creek’s unique and high-quality donuts and flavors along with what I’ve created at MDP, this collaboration just makes perfect sense.”

RELATED: Butler County Donut Trail adds a new shop

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