Holtman's Donuts
Donuts run in the Holtman family’s blood. Charles Holtman opened the first Holtman’s Donuts in Newtown, OH, in 1960. Although that location no longer exists, other members of the family have opened three other locations in Loveland, Williamsburg, and most recently, Over-the-Rhine, in September 2013.
From day one, the buzz and busyness in OTR has blown the Holtmans’ minds. (The shop had to close for a few hours on opening day so bakers could catch up with demand and restock the shelves.) Because donuts are made fresh and from scratch daily—and because they’re just so tasty—the stores have a tendency to run out.
“A lot of time and patience goes into creating our family legacy,” says Katie Plazarin, co-owner, with her husband, Danny (Charles Holtman’s grandson), of the OTR location. “We don’t have the machines or factory that some bakeries utilize. We rely on good old-fashioned man power.”
Family trained bakers mix the donut dough, watching for the perfect texture and appearance, before hand-weighing each pastry on a baker’s scale. Everything is made in-house, with high-quality ingredients and without preservatives, including the custards, glazes, icings, and pastry cream.
The Holtman name has been around for generations, and customers have been enjoying donuts for just as long. Some people remember going to Holtman’s as kids, and now they’re taking their kids. “Our intentions were to be the neighborhood bakery, and I think we’ve accomplished it,” Plazarin says.