NOLA Doughnuts

NOLA Doughnuts was a regional doughnut and pastry shop brand that operated in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon from 2015 until January 2023. The business was founded by Rob Herkes, his sister Connie DeMerell, and Frank Halpin. Before establishing a permanent storefront, the founders sold their products at the Beaverton Farmers Market, using that setting to develop awareness and test demand for a concept centered on New Orleans-style sweets and coffee. The first brick-and-mortar location opened in Lake Oswego in October 2015. Its menu and atmosphere were designed around the culinary identity suggested by the name “NOLA,” an abbreviation commonly associated with New Orleans. Offerings included beignets, café au lait, fritters, king cake, la’ssants, pralines, milkshakes, and ice cream sandwiches. The Portland location used New Orleans-style décor and played jazz, giving the brand a more immersive regional identity than a conventional doughnut counter. NOLA Doughnuts expanded beyond Lake Oswego in March 2018, opening a second shop in Portland’s Pearl District. The brand’s visibility also grew through its inclusion in the Underground Donut Tour in 2019, connecting it with a broader doughnut-focused visitor and food-tourism audience. In 2022, the company opened a third location in Beaverton, extending its presence across the metropolitan area. The expansion was ultimately short-lived. All three locations closed in January 2023. The closure announcement attributed the decision to the slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and prevailing economic conditions. NOLA Doughnuts therefore ended as a locally focused, multi-location foodservice brand rather than developing into a national chain. During its operating period, it received local and regional recognition: Eater Portland included it in a 2017 list of restaurants defining Lake Oswego, while Thrillist named it among the best doughnut shops in Portland in 2021.

NOLA Doughnuts was established in Oregon by Rob Herkes, Connie DeMerell, and Frank Halpin. The founders initially sold their products at the Beaverton Farmers Market before opening a permanent shop. This early market-based phase positioned the business as a local food venture and allowed it to build a customer base before taking on the costs of a dedicated retail location. The first NOLA Doughnuts storefront opened in Lake Oswego in October 2015. The concept drew on New Orleans culinary traditions, particularly beignets, café au lait, king cake, pralines, and other sweets associated with the city and the wider Louisiana food culture. Its menu also included doughnuts, fritters, la’ssants, milkshakes, and ice cream sandwiches. The brand complemented its food offering with a themed environment: the Portland shop featured New Orleans-style décor and jazz music, creating a recognizable setting for the products. The business expanded in March 2018 when it opened a second location in Portland’s Pearl District. This move gave NOLA Doughnuts a presence in a denser urban neighborhood and broadened its reach beyond its original suburban base. In 2019, the brand became part of the Underground Donut Tour, associating it with a guided doughnut-tour format and Portland’s food tourism scene. NOLA Doughnuts continued expanding during the early 2020s. A third location opened in Beaverton in 2022, bringing the total to three shops across the Portland metropolitan area. The additional location represented the brand’s furthest documented expansion, but it did not lead to long-term continuation. All three locations closed in January 2023. The closure announcement cited the slow rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and contemporary economic conditions. No successor owner, parent company, or continuing retail operation is identified in the available reference material. NOLA Doughnuts is therefore documented as a defunct regional foodservice brand whose main period of operation ran from 2015 to 2023. The business received several forms of local and regional editorial recognition while operating. In 2017, Janelle Lassalle included it in Eater Portland’s list of restaurants defining Lake Oswego. In 2021, Alex Frane included it in Thrillist’s list of the best doughnut shops in Portland. These mentions reflected the brand’s distinct New Orleans-inspired identity and its place within the area’s independent doughnut and restaurant culture.

• 2023

  All locations close

  [1]NOLA Doughnutsen.wikipedia.org

  The three NOLA Doughnuts shops closed in January amid a slow post-pandemic recovery and difficult economic conditions.

• 2022

  Third location opens in Beaverton

  [1]NOLA Doughnutsen.wikipedia.org

  A Beaverton shop brought the company to three locations in the Portland metropolitan area.

• 2019

  Added to the Underground Donut Tour

  [1]NOLA Doughnutsen.wikipedia.org

  The brand became one of the businesses featured by the Underground Donut Tour.

• 2018

  Second location opens in Portland

  [1]NOLA Doughnutsen.wikipedia.org

  NOLA Doughnuts expanded to Portland’s Pearl District in March.

• 2015

  First permanent shop opens in Lake Oswego

  [1]NOLA Doughnutsen.wikipedia.org

  After selling at the Beaverton Farmers Market, the founders opened NOLA Doughnuts’ first brick-and-mortar location in Lake Oswego in October.

A locally oriented doughnut and pastry shop built around New Orleans-inspired flavors, presentation, music, and décor.

• Doughnuts · 2015

  Doughnuts

  Doughnuts formed the core of the brand’s retail offering. NOLA Doughnuts presented them within a broader New Orleans-inspired menu rather than as a standalone conventional doughnut range, pairing the baked goods with regional specialties, coffee, frozen desserts, and other sweet products.

• New Orleans pastry · 2015

  Beignets

  Beignets were a central expression of the brand’s New Orleans positioning. The square, fried pastry is strongly associated with New Orleans café culture, and its inclusion helped distinguish NOLA Doughnuts from doughnut shops focused only on standard ring or filled doughnuts.

• Coffee beverage · 2015

  Café au lait

  Café au lait was served as a complementary beverage within the New Orleans-themed menu. It supported the brand’s café-style identity and paired naturally with beignets and other pastries.

• Seasonal pastry · 2015

  King cake

  King cake extended the menu into a well-known Louisiana and New Orleans seasonal tradition. Its presence reinforced the regional culinary theme and gave the shop a product associated with festive and Mardi Gras-related food culture.

• Hybrid pastry · 2015

  La’ssants

  La’ssants were among the specialty pastries listed in the NOLA Doughnuts menu. The product formed part of the shop’s broader assortment of distinctive fried and laminated-style sweets, complementing its doughnuts and New Orleans pastries.

• Confectionery · 2015

  Pralines

  Pralines connected the product range to Southern and Louisiana confectionery traditions. They broadened the offering beyond fresh fried pastries and supported the brand’s emphasis on regional New Orleans-inspired flavors.

• Frozen desserts · 2015

  Milkshakes and ice cream sandwiches

  Milkshakes and ice cream sandwiches added chilled dessert options to the menu. These products complemented the bakery selection and gave customers alternatives to doughnuts, beignets, and other pastries.

• 2019Underground Donut Tour participation

  Portland metropolitan area

  NOLA Doughnuts became part of the Underground Donut Tour, a food-tour platform that connected participating shops with visitors and local doughnut enthusiasts.

  Outcome. The available material confirms the partnership but does not provide measurable performance results.

  Source

• 2023

  Close all locationsOther

  Background

  The company cited the slow recovery from the pandemic and difficult economic conditions.

  Action taken

  NOLA Doughnuts closed its Lake Oswego, Pearl District, and Beaverton locations in January.

  Aftermath

  The brand ceased operating as a retail doughnut business.

  Source

• 2022

  Open a third location in BeavertonStrategy

  Background

  The company continued its local expansion after operating shops in Lake Oswego and Portland.

  Action taken

  A third NOLA Doughnuts location opened in Beaverton.

  Aftermath

  The business reached three locations, but all of them closed in January 2023.

  Source

• 2018

  Expand into Portland’s Pearl DistrictStrategy

  Background

  After operating its original Lake Oswego shop, the company pursued a second location in a central Portland neighborhood.

  Action taken

  NOLA Doughnuts opened a Pearl District location in March 2018.

  Aftermath

  The brand increased its metropolitan footprint and operated two locations before adding a third in Beaverton.

  Source

• 2015

  Move from farmers-market sales to a permanent storefrontStrategy

  Background

  The founders had been selling NOLA Doughnuts products at the Beaverton Farmers Market before establishing a fixed retail location.

  Action taken

  They opened the first brick-and-mortar shop in Lake Oswego in October 2015.

  Aftermath

  The move established the brand as a permanent local food business and preceded later expansion to Portland and Beaverton.

  Source

1. 1NOLA Doughnutsen.wikipedia.org