George Carlton III was a world traveler. But like so many born-and raised New Orleanians, he always returned to the city he loved – especially after Hurricane Katrina, when he worked in the construction industry to help with the rebuilding efforts.
After the birth of his first child in 2007, Carlton decided to turn to less physically taxing pursuits. Having worked in his father’s bakery while growing up, Carlton decided to draw on that experience, opening Daddy’s Donuts in Gentilly, in January 2010. Tragically, not long thereafter, he was diagnosed with ALS and passed away in July 2016.
The story of this donut shop could have ended there. Instead, it was just the beginning. The shop’s manager under Carlton, Eileen Andrews, has stayed on and is currently training Carlton’s children, Chase (now 18 years old) and Brianna (16) to take over the business once they finish school.
Nestled in a shopping center just off Gentilly Boulevard, Daddy’s is a neighborhood staple. Andrews estimates that 80% of clientele live in the surrounding area, including students from nearby Dillard University and patrons from the various local churches and schools, for whom she often fills special orders. Many people, she said, stop by on their way to work.
“They even come in here after dropping off their mail,” reported Andrews with a laugh, referencing the USPS facility next door.
Some of the eight staff members are also neighborhood residents, enabling them to be on call when there is an unexpected customer rush. However, staffing is frequently an issue; Andrews would like to hire some younger people but finds they often don’t last. Indeed, the majority of the staff has been around for five years or more.
A bigger challenge, she said, is the rising cost of ingredients.
“The tariffs are kicking in and prices are going up,” Andrews noted. “That’s my biggest headache right now.”
To counter this, she is trying to improvise on the recipes and the ingredients, such as substituting blueberry syrup for increasingly expensive blueberries.
“We’re in the testing phase right now,” she added. “It’s like a research project.”
The caution stems from the fact that a major component of Daddy’s Donuts’ success is being true to Carlton’s original recipes.
“The sugar rush and Daddy’s recipes are what bring people in,” observed Chase Carlton. “It’s the mix, the temperature, the right amount of sugar and yeast.”
Clearly the recipes are very popular. Andrews reported that the business sells about 100 dozen donuts a day. Favorites are glazed, chocolate glazed and buttermilk, along with donut holes. Also on the menu are what she referred to as “fancy donuts:” twists, honeybuns and apple fritters, among others. Everything is made fresh daily on the premises — no frozen batters or day-old products.
The store is to-go only, opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 11 a.m., though “we’ll stay open a little later if we still have some donuts left,” Andrews said. “But no one comes in after 11:30.”
The condensed sales schedule means Daddy’s has a constant flow of customers.
“It’s the fresh ingredients, the great taste, and being local and convenient,” Andrews noted. “Come by and test them!”
Daddy’s Donuts
2051A Caton Street // Gentilly
504-283-3388
FB: @daddysdonut // IG: @daddysdonutsnola
