Shipley Do-Nuts Bringing Scratch-Made Treats to Clearwater

CLEARWATER, FL – Shipley Do-Nuts is preparing to bring its scratch-made treats to Clearwater this fall. The new location at 4004 Ulmerton Rd, Clearwater, FL 33762, is being developed by franchisee Jim D’Aquila and his hospitality group, Virentes Hospitality.

D’Aquila, along with Andrew Povec, vice president of operations, is leading the expansion of Shipley Do-Nuts across Central and Northern Florida. The Clearwater shop is currently under construction and plans to open by mid-November for Thanksgiving Day, D’Aquila told Business Debut.

Its facility will feature a drive-thru, 10-12 seats indoors, and a small patio with seating for four to six, operating as a grab-and-go service. Although it's grab-and-go, a cozy booth and counter seating will be available for those who prefer to enjoy their treats on-site. Customers can also order online through their website or app.

Once open, Shipley Do-Nuts will be open seven days a week from 5 a.m. – 5 p.m., subject to change for evening hours extension depending on customer traffic.

Concept and Menu Highlights

Founded in Houston, Texas, Shipley Do-Nuts has been serving fresh pastries for 89 years and now operates about 300 locations nationwide. The brand prides itself on preparing fried and baked donuts from scratch, all day, every day.

The Clearwater store will offer:

• Fresh donuts in a variety of flavors
• Kolaches — pastries filled with proteins like sausage, egg, and cheese
• Coffee, mochas, and other beverages
• Boxes of a dozen donuts or more for sharing

Unlike many national donut chains, Shipley’s emphasizes freshness as its main differentiator. “The product isn’t comparable to Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’,” D’Aquila noted.

Ownership and Expansion Plans

Virentes Hospitality, based in Tampa, operates multiple brands beyond Shipley’s, including Sweet Paris, a French-inspired fast-casual creperie, and Saigon Hustle, an Asian concept specializing in Vietnamese cuisine. 

The group is the second-largest Shipley’s franchisee and currently runs locations in Jacksonville and Orlando, with Clearwater becoming the third in Florida. It holds development rights for much of Florida north of Fort Lauderdale and plans to open at least 18 more Shipley’s locations across Central and Northern Florida.

Follow for More

For updates on the grand opening, menu previews, and promotions, visit Shipley Do-Nuts' official website and stay tuned for their separate Instagram and Facebook pages for each location.