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One person suffered minor injuries shortly after 8 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30 last year after crashing a Honda into the side of Laurel Tavern Donuts in the 100 block of Washington Boulevard in Laurel, leaving the building with substantial damage.
In response, Sean Kwon started a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of his parents, who have been in business serving delicious delights to patrons from across the state for years.
"My parents created this donut shop around 18 years ago and ever since, they have been making fresh doughnuts from scratch everyday at 3 a.m. and mini-burgers throughout the afternoon," he wrote.
More than $12,000 was raised during the fundraising effort, and now, a reopening date is right around the corner.
"Just wanted to give a quick update on the progress of the Laurel Tavern Donuts rebuild. We're currently aiming to reopen the shop tentatively by April," Kwon said this week. "The donations will be going towards repairs, building permits that will need to be created before repairs, (and) replacing damaged cooking equipment."
Not just a doughnut shop, Laurel Tavern Donuts has become a hotspot for mini burgers, which was highlighted in a piece posted by Accidentally Wes Anderson, highlighting the Kwon's commitment to the community and their food after they took over from a burger place.
"When the Kwons came along, they replaced the counter-style dine-in approach with donut-filled display cases for take away. But after opening their doors, people still asked for the bite-sized burgers – so to satisfy their customers, they stuck with tradition," the author wrote. "So when a hankering hits for a home made donut and classic mini-burger, Will and Jin Kwon have you coveted at Tavern Donuts."
Sean Kwon said that his father - who was inside the restaurant at the time the driver lost control and struck the building - was not hit, but the family has been working since to get the store back up and running.
"If you are in a position to contribute financially or offer emotional and other forms of support, it would mean the world to us," he wrote at the time. "No donation is too small, and every contribution will make a significant impact.
"The impact of your support will help my mom and dad be able to pay their expenses since selling donuts and burgers are their only source of income," Kwon continued. "Your contributions will also help towards repairing the shop back to being a mainstay of the Laurel community."
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