Good (and free) Donuts to debut Friday

Opening a second store with a second child on the way in the middle of a heat wave hasn’t been easy for the husband-and-wife team of Manith “Math” Lor and Lily Taing.

But they are enthusiastic about the grand opening of Good Donuts, a weeklong event that starts Friday morning.

Their signature glazed doughnuts are unexpectedly light and fluffy from “special ingredients” and an expert baker. The store carries a variety of cake doughnuts, filled, glazed, sprinkled or plain, as well as old-fashioned doughnuts. Taing said they are also known for their apple fritters.

Good Donuts serves coffee and fruit smoothies. Their breakfast sandwiches are bacon, ham or sausage with egg and cheese on a bagel or croissant. There is also cheesy jalapeno.

While it may appear to be a spinoff of their successful bakery in Gilbert, Taing said Maricopa was actually her first choice of location. She said she always saw the city’s potential when visiting from California. Negotiations failed on their first attempt at a storefront a few years ago.

Instead, they opened the first Good Donuts in Gilbert a year and a half ago to strong reviews.

But Taing’s eyes were still on Maricopa.

“I just like it a lot,” she said. “We thought it would be the best place for a donut shop. There are a lot of people around. And I talked to the other businesses, and it looked like the economy was picking up and the rental spaces were filling in.”

Taing came to the United States from Cambodia 10 years ago and learned the doughnut business from her uncle in Bellflower, California.

“I helped him sell doughnuts for five or six years,” she said. Working at Fresh Donuts taught her the importance of providing a high-quality product.

During the grand opening from March 27 to April 5, each customer can get a free doughnut or a free cup of coffee. The store is at 20924 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite D3, next to Anytime Fitness.