Lyndsie and I “explored Columbus” while staying close to our dorm. Finals week was keeping us very busy, so for our study break, we visited The Little Donut Shop. When I suggested it, Lyndsie texted back “Oh awesome yes I love that place!!” I was most looking forward to sitting down with Lyndsie to have a nice conversation and pig out on delicious chocolaty donuts. I was so excited when she I met her in the lobby and realized her dog Cooper would be joining us. He is such a sweet and loving dog!
It had been pouring all day, so I wore rain boots and carried an umbrella, and Lyndsie had her rain jacket. Fortunately, the sky cleared up for our short walk to The Little Donut Shop. When we opened the front door, we were hit with the scent of fry oil and cake. We approached the counter, and all the donuts were temptingly displayed with their creative, delectable toppings. I worked at this shop for a couple months last semester, so I talked with one of my old coworkers while Lyndsie and I picked out our treats. We shared a half dozen box–three for each of us. I even found a coupon to use! We both picked m&m and Milky Way donuts. She chose Cookie Dough for her third, and I chose Oreo. All the donuts from this shop are small cake donuts dipped in frosting and then dipped into a topping. The m&m donuts are vanilla dipped with m&m’s on top. The Milky Way is chocolate dipped with chocolate chips and caramel sauce drizzled on top. Cookie Dough is chocolate dipped with a chocolate chip streusel topping. Oreo is vanilla dipped and topped with Oreo cookie crumbles. I also ordered a hot coffee, which went perfectly with all the sweetness of our food.
The Little Donut Shop has a fun atmosphere. Their decor is modern and casual. All the seats are bar stools, so the tables are up high. Lyndsie and I sat along the wall. We were the only customers for while, until a group came in to taste test donuts for a wedding. Cooper stood between us looking up at the food, waiting for any crumbs to drop. He successfully managed to eat lots of crumbs because our donuts were messy. I enjoyed petting him for the whole hour or so that we were there.
The delicious chocolaty donuts that I looked forward to pigging out on did not disappoint. I think Lyndsie enjoyed hers too! My favorite was the Milky Way… it has been my favorite ever since last semester when I first tried it. Lyndsie reminded me that sometimes The Little Donut Shop donuts are served at OSU volunteer events. In fact, when ACES volunteered during Clean-Up Columbus last semester, the donuts we ate for breakfast were made by coworker!
I would definitely return to The Little Donut Shop. I try not to go often because the donuts are so rich and overloaded with sugar. When life gets hard though, a sugar overload can fix everything. I also would totally recommend it to other mentors and mentees. It is super fun to pick out the donuts, and they are easy to share. Mentors and mentees could even try a variety of flavors by splitting the donuts in half. The Little Donut Shop’s prices are reasonable, too. A half dozen is $6 and a dozen is $10. I can also attest that the Little Donut Shop takes precautions to ensure cleanliness and food safety. I am OCD about cleaning, and I felt comfortable there as an employee with how things were managed. The location is perfect for mentors and mentees that do not have access to a car and do not want to take a long bus ride. It is right across from the Union.
Through this assignment, I learned that exploring Columbus is not out of reach, even on a low budget and with limited time. There are many cool places nearby to explore. Supporting a local business is always rewarding, too. Another thing I noticed is that when going somewhere familiar, the experience changes depending the company. Lyndsie and I had both been to The Little Donut Shop before, but it still felt like a special occasion because we had never gone with each other. I make new memories at this shop every time I go in. Working there was very different from being a customer, and I enjoyed being able to just relax.