It's only been 21 days since Diamond Dough and Co. opened its doors in Cassopolis and so far, the mini doughnut and coffee business has made over 55,000 mini doughnuts. 

"It's pretty crazy when you think about it," co-owner Rosemary Leonard said. 

Leonard, whose family has owned property on nearby Diamond Lake for decades, had acquired the 21502 Shore Acres Road building that was once a beauty shop and, after it sat vacant for the past two years, decided it was time to do something with it.

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While traveling in Florida, Leonard came across the Lil Orbits automated mini doughnut machine that takes batter, forms it into mini doughnuts, plops the dough into hot oil, fries it and then transfers it to a cooling rack to ensure each doughnut is perfectly fried on the outside but soft and spongey on the inside. 

"I always thought it would be so much fun and such a good idea, and the kids just love to come in and watch the doughnuts come in, so it worked out really well," Leonard said. "The machine can produce 1,200 doughnuts an hour, and there are days where I'm like, 'Why didn't I get the one that can do 2,400?'" 

Leonard partnered with Wendy Grover-Ming, who operated her own coffee cart in Cassopolis called Double K Koffee Kompany from 2010 through 2013, and together the duo churn out cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or plain mini doughnuts and specialty lattes and drip coffee. 

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"I feel like the doughnuts drive people here because it's the new crazy thing, but it's so wonderful to see the locals who come in here because they know Wendy," Leonard said. "They know her coffee, so that's really exciting." 

The shop offers a variety of doughnut serving sizes ranging from half-dozen to a 30-piece bucket size. They also serve what they've called "mini dippin's" where doughnuts are served with vanilla, chocolate or salted caramel dipping sauces and have weekly specials such as a take on strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and seasonal Michigan strawberries. For the upcoming July 4 holiday, they have a party tray option where doughnuts are laid out and iced red, white and blue to mimic the American flag. 

Although the business's bread and butter is coffee and doughnuts, the shop also offers healthier options such as acai bowls that can be topped with granola, fruit, coconut, Nutella, almond butter and more. 

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"We wanted to have an alternative to doughnuts because they have egg, flour and sugar in them," Grover-Ming said.

Open Thursdays through Sundays from May through October, owners say that every weekend since opening has been busy and that if people notice there is one car in the parking lot, customers begin to flood inside. Social media has been a huge driver in generating customers, with Leonard noting that they've reached 10,000 accounts on Instagram alone. Popularity has been so strong that Leonard said expansion plans are now in the works, as they are considering opening a second location in New Buffalo or St. Joseph. They also have spoken with interested investors about franchising plans. 

"We got to make sure we got this first," Leonard said. "But we looked at for next season to be open in another area and in 2023 and 2024 is when we'd be ready to flip the switch and do some franchising."

But in addition to serving sweet breakfast treats, a key to the business has been the service. With every customer that walks in, there's a good chance that Leonard or Grover-Ming already knows their name and, if they don't initially, they'll become fast friends by the time customers leave. 

"People walk out of here and, of course they love the coffee and they love the doughnuts, but more times than not they're like, 'Oh my gosh, are you guys always this happy and welcoming?'" Leonard said. "… This is a place that people come to relax and have a good time or they're on their way to work and need a little pick me up. So there's other coffee places that are open, but they don't have us." 

Diamond Dough and Co. is open Thursdays through Sundays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Contact Mary Shown at 574-235-6244 and mshown@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @maryshownSBT and @marketbasketSBT.