Difference between revisions of "Lerch's Donuts"

Lerch's Donuts
Type	Doughnut Shops; Bakery Products; Bakery
Industry	Accommodation & Food Services; Manufacturing; Retail
Fate	Active
Founded	Wooster, Ohio (1932)
Founder(s)	John W. Lerch, Sr., 1932- ; Mary Jane "Jennie" Meyer Baker and sister-in-law to John W. Lerch; John Lerch, Jr. (1995), Joe Snyder (1995), Gail Snyder (1995)
Headquarters	original bakery? 138 E. Liberty St., Portage Square Plaza, Wooster, Ohio, Wayne County Fair, Wooster, Ohio, Ashland, Ohio, Ashland County Fair, Lowe's Plaza, United States
Number of locations	3
Area served	Wayne County, Ohio
Key people	John Lerch, Jr. (1995); Joe Snyder (1995); Gail Snyder (1995)
Products	Donuts
Website	lerchsdonuts.com

Revision as of 11:36, 30 October 2020

Current Contact Information
Address	138 E. Liberty St.
City, State, Zip	Wooster, Ohio 44691
Phone	(330)669-3308 (330)669-3299
Last updated	2020-07

Locations

138 E. Liberty St., Wooster, Ohio 44691

City Directories

1933 - Wooster High School Annual - first year Lerch Pastry Shop business was advertised
1942 - Wooster High School annual - last year Lerch Pastry Shop business was advertised
1943 - Wooster City Directory

Comprehensive History

Lerch Pastry Shop

Lerch's Donuts

Slogans

Historical documents

Timeline

1932 - Business established according to John W. Lerch obituary
1933 - first year Lerch Pastry Shop appeared in Wooster High School Annual
1934 - began producing Lerch's Donuts at Wayne County Fair in Wooster, Ohio
1942 - last year appeared Lerch Pastry Shop in Wooster High School annual
1943 - last year appeared in Wooster City Directory as a baker
1956 - Trailer parked at Hawkins Market Portage Square Plaza during summer and fall month
2009 - Celebrated 77 years of making donuts
2009 - 75th anniversary at making donuts at the Wayne County Fair in Wooster, Ohio

Gallery

Business Letterheads

Business Photos

Newspaper articles

Newspaper full-text articles

Sweet Success for 70-pluis Years: Popularity Keeps Growing

WOOSTER-- It's a welcome sight in a number of locations, including its permanent one eight months out of the year at Portage Square Plaza, the site of the former Hawkins Market.

The arrangement with Earl Hawkins began with a simple handshake and is "still in force," said Lerch's owner Joe Snyder.

Over the years, Lerch's Donuts has not lost its popularity; and its traditional sugar, cinnamon and plain donuts remain favorites, while more recent offerings -- blue berry and pumpkin -- have gained seasonal appeal.

In 195, Snyder bought the business, which began in the Lerch family in 1932 when it was founded by John Lerch, Sr. His leadership was followed by that of John Lerch, Jr. who took it over in 1950.

"(John Lerch Jr.) actually bought the first trailer," Snyder said.

Previously, the donut enterprise had been housed in everything from a tent to a converted school bus.

In the 1950s, Lerch's donuts began serving its product out of the building next to the grandstand on the Wayne County Fairgrounds.

When the junior Lerch introduced the first trailer, his plan was "to do the fair circuit," Snyder said.

But after one rainy day of selling donuts in Columbus, Snyder said, the younger Lerch decided, "I can do better in Wayne County."

In fact, one third of Lerch's annual sales are accrued in the six days of the Wayne County Fair, where employees go through "literally tons of sugar and shortening" and make "thousands of dozens of donuts."

During that week, 50 employees rotate through a 24-hour-a-day schedule.

At 3 a.m., business may be a little slow, Snyder said, but by 4 a.m. "it picks up again."

"We have a great working relationship with the fair," he said, which earns a portion of the business's profits.

"The better we do, the better they do," he said, adding, "They tell me I'm the No. 1 food vendor there."

While Lerch's donuts trailer do rotate among a number of fairs and festivals, he said, "We're best known in Wayne County," even though, licensed for "anywhere in Ohio," they travel, for example, to Cleveland.

Lerch's Donuts has its own recipe, which has been used for 82 years, Snyder said. "We're in our 83rd."

The donuts are made by hand, he said, pointing out, an automated system wouldn't fit in the space available and wouldn't make a sufficient number of donuts.

When a Lerch's donut craving hits, a patron may use the schedule on the company website to pinpoint within 6 feets of the trailer on any given day.

At this time, four mobile concession trailers circulate among a variety of venues.

"This is the newest one," Snyder said recently from the parking lot of Lowe's Home Improvement in Wooster.

What Snyder loves most if the loyalty of customers who may be sentimental about Lerch's product.

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Newspaper ads

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Newspaper citations with no attached images

August 24, 1971: "Mix 1 Ton Sugar, 2 Tons Shortening" by Melody Lawrence, The Daily Record, p. 2.

References

↑ Sweet Success for 70-plus Years: Popularity Keeps Growing. Linda Hall. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2016 June 16.
↑ Coshocton Tribune 3 Oct 1938, p. 8.
↑ Orrville Courier Crescent 12 Oct 1939, p. 3.
↑ The Evening Independent Massillon 3 Jan 1945, p. 10.
↑ the Chronicle Telegram Elyria 4 Jan 1945, p. 12.
↑ Sandusky Register Star News 3 Jul 1945, p. 9.
↑ Sandusky Register Star News 6 Jul 1945, p. 10.
↑ Coshocton Tribune. 26 Sep 1945, p. 6.

What Links Here

[1] Sweet Success for 70-plus Years: Popularity Keeps Growing. Linda Hall. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2016 June 16.

[2] Coshocton Tribune 3 Oct 1938, p. 8.

[3] Orrville Courier Crescent 12 Oct 1939, p. 3.

[4] The Evening Independent Massillon 3 Jan 1945, p. 10.

[5] the Chronicle Telegram Elyria 4 Jan 1945, p. 12.

[6] Sandusky Register Star News 3 Jul 1945, p. 9.

[7] Sandusky Register Star News 6 Jul 1945, p. 10.

[8] Coshocton Tribune. 26 Sep 1945, p. 6.

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