Shorty’s Donuts has been serving hospitality and delicious donuts to the Texarkana community for over 62 years. Although it has passed hands several times, the atmosphere and the Southern Maid Donuts haven’t changed.
In 2017, former employee Anna Allgor purchased Shorty’s from Ray and Danny Whitt, family members of the original owner Shorty Whitt. According to Willie Whitt, son of original owner Shorty, the restaurant hasn’t changed much. “I come here every day. It feels like home. Plus, I love Anna and the other employees, and I want to continue to support them the best I can,” said Willie.
The atmosphere when walking into Shorty’s is warm and friendly, filled with pictures on the walls of family members over the years. Many regulars who walk in are immediately called by name, and are soon greeted at their table with their favorite drink order. “When you walk into Shorty’s we are going to end up knowing you by name, what you want to eat, how your family is doing, and a whole list of other things,” says current owner Anna Allgor.
While many businesses in the area suffered losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, community support for Shorty’s helped the business boom. “While we were shut down and only doing drive-thru orders we were still able to make ends meet. Even when we opened back up, we never lost business. Our customers kept us afloat. You’re looking at a small-town mom-and-pop business, where we always know your name and always have a smile on our faces. That’s what the community loves about us, and they are the reason we made it through,” said Allgor.
Second to the atmosphere are the mouthwatering donuts, from the old-fashioned cake and chocolate cake donuts to the cinnamon rolls made from scratch daily. “We start with simple water and yeast and then deep fry them in love,” said Allgor in reference to what makes their donuts different from other shops in the area. Since purchasing the shop she started selling Pittsburgh Hot Links which have quickly become a community favorite says Allgor.
Shorty’s Donuts is located at 2729 New Boston Rd #98, Texarkana, TX 75501 in the Oaklawn Village Shopping Center and is open Monday- Saturday 6 a.m. – 2 p.m.
