THE FOLLOWING IS A MAD GOAT COFFEE RELEASE
Two Popular Local Brands Come Together to Serve Up Exciting New Possibilities
DANVILLE, IL, May 26, 2022 — After a dramatic and lengthy closure, plenty of rumors, and even a few memes, the long-awaited opening of local favorite Royal Donut is indeed coming later this summer, and it will be under new ownership. The new ownership group are siblings from Sidell that grew up enjoying treats from Royal Donut their grandfather would bring them.
Ben George, Hannah Landis, Sam George, and Holly George came together to collectively purchase Royal Donut. Two of the owners and their spouses, couples Sam and Rachel George, and Drew and Hannah Landis, are better known as the team behind popular local coffee shop and community gathering space, Mad Goat Coffee.
“Coffee and donuts are obviously an iconic combination, so when Royal Donut closed, our wheels definitely started turning,” Sam George, Owner and Manager of Mad Goat Coffee, said. “Donuts. Is there anything they can’t do?” George quipped, a quote from one of his favorite TV shows, The Simpsons.
George was quick to point out the acquisition isn’t a merger, and the two companies will remain independent. The menu and recipes at Royal Donut will remain largely the same as they always have been, so fans of Royal Donut’s eclairs, smiley cookies, nut rolls, and more, should definitely expect to see those favorites once again. What you won’t see anytime in the near future, George said, is a barista prepared flavored latte or other complex drinks at Royal Donut. That’s not to say there won’t be at least a few changes.
“One big change is that Royal Donut will immediately begin serving Mad Goat brewed coffee, along with some other quick serve drinks like cold brew and maybe more,” George said. “Likewise, the Mad Goat cafes will be able to offer limited quantities of popular donuts along with all the other bakery items.”
George expects a couple of months of preparation at Royal Donut before the doors officially open for business later this summer. He said they’re targeting July or possibly even August. “We’ve got to make sure all the recipes work and taste the way folks are familiar with, there’s some work in the space still to do, and we will probably have some new software to test.”
For information and updates on the progress, George recommended following both Mad Goat and Royal Donut on Facebook. “We’ll definitely be sharing the journey on social media, so for now that’s probably the best place to go for updates.”
About Mad Goat Coffee
Mad Goat Coffee was founded in 2014 by Sam and Rachel George and Drew and Hannah Landis. Envisioned as a community gathering spot with the added bonus of top quality coffee and espresso drinks, Mad Goat has quickly become an iconic Vermilion County location. Mad Goat is dedicated to local development and great coffee.
About Royal Donut
Founded in 1973 by Sanford and Barbara Eichhorn, three generations have now baked and served award winning donuts and pastries to customers in Danville and its surrounding communities. The donuts, nut rolls, smiley faced sugar cookies, and more, have been widely adored by generations of Vermilion County residents.
