Rejoice: King Donuts Lives

As feared when King Donuts owners Chea Pol and Heng Hay decided to retire last year, their beloved Rainier Valley doughnut shop/laundromat/teriyaki restaurant closed in December 2016. Even as recently as September, when Eater filmed an episode of Dining on a Dime at the shop, the business’ future was uncertain, and all seemed lost when King Donuts threw its farewell party on December 20.

Now for the silver lining: As hoped, new owners appeared at the last minute and effectively rescued the quirky neighborhood combo-company from extinction.

A local couple “intend to continue the King Donut tradition of serving donuts and teriyaki, in addition to providing laundromat services,” South Seattle Emerald reported in late December. What’s more, the new, as-yet-unnamed owners even planned to add Thai food to the mix and renovate the venerable space with new carpeting, tables, and paint.

Eater has been unable to reach anyone at King Donuts, but the relaunch was set for New Year’s Day. Subsequently, a few Yelp reviews have trickled in to suggest that King Donuts has indeed reopened, it has indeed added Thai dishes like Pad Thai to the lineup, and it has indeed maintained the level of friendliness and deliciousness that customers expect, even though, as the Emerald noted, the new owners did not purchase any of the original recipes.

Have you tried the latest incarnation of this community mainstay?