Old Fashioned Donuts serving up glazed nirvana for nearly 50 years on South Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- February is Black History Month, and to kick things off, our Hungry Hound is taking a look at a couple of legendary Black-owned businesses where they've been feeding their neighbors for decades.

He begins in Roseland, on the far South Side, where donuts have been the order of the day for nearly 50 years, at Old Fashioned Donuts. Here's Steve Dolinsky with a taste.

Eighty-one-year-old Burritt Bulloch, says he's never missed a day of work. For the past 48 years, he's been a constant at the beloved Old Fashioned Donuts in the Roseland neighborhood, starting at 5:30 in the morning, because he knows he's got fans coming.

"People love my donuts. I've been here so long they call me the Donut King," he said.

The King knows exactly how long to proof his dough, fry them in shortening and then eyeballs the color to know when to flip them over. While hot, most of these yeast-raised doughnuts will get topped with chocolate icing or doused in a thick sugar glaze. There are some cake donuts, but it's mostly yeast raised.

"I cut-up a couple hundred pounds a day," said Bulloch.

Many years ago, he started making what he calls "Texas" doughnuts, due to their size. One Texas equals about four regular doughnuts. Bulloch says the first few weeks of the stay-at-home orders were tough, due mainly to some street work out front, but things changed about a month ago.

"After the stimulus money came through, it kind of picked up real fast. Started coming back to normal," he said.

He shows no signs of slowing down, knowing full well his duty to his neighbors revolves around keeping them stocked with glazed nirvana.

"Around here, when you're out of glazed, you're out of donuts as far as they're concerned," said Bulloch.

There's no question Old Fashioned Donuts is one of the sweetest beacons on the South Side of Chicago. And as they close in on 50 years in business, Mr. Bulloch and his family show no signs of slowing down. And if you haven't already had an apple fritter or a glazed doughnut from here, what are you waiting for?

And Steve says another South Side legend - not nearly as old - is Dat Donut in Chatham.

Old Fashioned Donuts

11248 S. Michigan Ave.

773-995-7420

https://m.facebook.com/Old-Fashioned-Donuts-Inc-111494095555975/