Gurnee Donuts back in business after fire

Kevin Lee says his family appreciates the support shown to their doughnut business, which has reopened about 10 months after fire forced its closure.

Gurnee Donuts continued its return with a good customer flow Monday in a strip mall on the southwest corner of Route 21 and Grand Avenue. Signature items include apple fritters, buttermilk doughnuts and maple-bacon long johns.

"The love and the support of the community has definitely shown," Lee said. "Much appreciated."

Lee said customers were lined up outside Gurnee Donuts before its return at 6 a.m. Friday. He said the doors opened about 15 minutes early and customers exhausted the initial doughnut supply in two hours.

His father, Eng Lee, who owns Gurnee Donuts, was thankful for the customer turnout. He said it wasn't easy redoing the fire-damaged space.

"There were a lot of people," Eng Lee said during a work break Monday. "All day and all night."

Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik said village hall received many inquiries about whether the doughnut business would reopen. She visited Gurnee Donuts when it came back Friday to show support as mayor and because she's been a longtime customer.

"I love their chocolate doughnuts," Kovarik said.

Fire gutted the 21-year-old doughnut shop in the late afternoon of Aug. 16, 2014. Several passers-by reported seeing smoke coming from Gurnee Donuts, where no one was inside at the time, authorities said.

Officials said firefighters were called to the doughnut shop four days later after someone from another business reported smelling smoke in a ceiling. Gurnee fire officials said crews found smoldering insulation left over from the fire, which caused $100,000 in damage to Gurnee Donuts.

Kevin Lee said the smoke damage wrecked everything in the doughnut store expect for a mixer. He said the renovated business has a new display case, oven, fryer and coffee-making equipment.

Among the happy Gurnee Donuts customers Monday was village resident Mike Dwyer. He said he and his wife periodically checked the mall to see if the business was open again.

Dwyer said he missed the friendly employees and tasty treats. As for his favorite selection?

"Whichever one is in the case," he said with a laugh. "We try to have a variety of (doughnuts). They're all very good. Excellent."