What happens when a highly successful CEO develops a decades-long donut-a-day habit? Well, if you're Tom Schrader, it inspires you to open your own gourmet donut & coffee shop in the heart of Phoenix. Arriving in Arcadia on August 7, Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+(3950 E. Indian School Rd., 602-633-1550) serves up cooked-to-order cake donuts topped with your choice of premium icings, topping and drizzles, plus a full selection of world-class illy coffee beverages and more. Tucked inside an all-new mixed shopping center at the NW corner of 40thStreet and Indian School Road, MD&C+ will feature a warm, inviting gallery space that showcases works from local artists as well as nearby schools such as Christ Lutheran and Arcadia High School. And putting the "plus" in Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+, enjoy healthy options such as a Greek yogurt parfait and natural lemonade, all served in a family-friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+ is the brainchild of entrepreneurs Sheri and Tom Schrader, who recently moved to the Valley from Kansas City, where they own and operate a nationwide home cleaning company with locations across the US and Canada. However, the Schraders have long been passionate fans of the classic donuts & coffee combo. "I've literally had donuts for breakfast every day for the past 30-plus years," Tom says. "I stop and get one on the way to the office, and on weekends I stop and get two. So over the decades Sheri and I have learned the best donut shops in 50 markets across North America."
But Tom says, it wasn't until he first tried cooked- and topped-to-order donuts that he decided to take the plunge and open his own gourmet donut & coffee shop. Now with Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+, the Schraders have drawn upon their decades of business experience to craft a customer-friendly, fast-casual restaurant that's both charming yet hyper-efficient.
Guests will be able to order at the counter (or order and pay online, or order and pay in-store from one of the five quick serve iPad kiosks) and then grab their freshly prepared treats at the pick up counter. But first they'll have 90-seconds as their vanilla cake batter-based donuts cook, to customize their 'blank canvas' with a heavenly selection of flavorful Icings (vanilla, chocolate, maple, strawberry, glaze); Toppings (rainbow sprinkles, chopped peanuts, Oreo crumbles, mini M & M's, chocolate pearls, sea salt, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon sugar) or Drizzles (vanilla, chocolate, marshmallow, caramel, cinnamon, raspberry, peanut butter, espresso). Or choose from a "baker's dozen" Favorites (13) all named after iconic artists, such as the sweet & salty The Vermeer (glaze, sea salt, caramel drizzle) or The Warhol, a colorful blend of chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles.
In a hurry? Grab a box of six or 12 donuts in a variety of signature flavors, freshly packed each morning, and available to go. Or go healthy with the Yogurt Parfait (Greek honey-vanilla yogurt and a nutritional supplement, topped with banana slices, raspberries, blueberries and vanilla almond granola).
Pair your fresh, still-warm donut with a full menu of coffee beverages crafted by trained baristas and featuring premium illy beans imported from Italy, including super-smooth cold-brewed coffee, plus hot and cold tea and natural lemonade. "As a lover of donuts and coffee, my biggest pet peeve is seeing people ordering donuts from someplace and then having to go someplace else to buy great coffee," Tom says. "Which is why we're serving world-class coffee from illy, and making each drink to order just like our fresh donuts."
Housed inside a striking new mixed use shopping center by the renowned restaurant design firm, Brick & West, Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+'s 1,600 sq.-ft. space invites guest to kick back and relax and stay awhile thanks to oversized windows and plenty of warm wood accents, including the floor, tables and chairs. There's also a semi-private Artists Corner where children will be able to work on arts and crafts projects, or adults can host a meeting.
Most important, Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+ will serve as a community gathering spot and gallery, featuring three dedicated galleries to showcase local art for sale, as well as student art from nearby schools. Plus, MD&C+ is dedicated to supporting great worthy causes by hosting charitable fundraisers in support of local nonprofits.
Masterpiece Donuts & Coffee+ (3950 E. Indian School Rd., Suite 120) will be open daily from 6 am to 4 pm, 363 days a year (closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas).