Today we’d like to introduce you to Melvin Roberson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started out making donuts from home…I was working a full time job as a restaurant manager and making donuts on the side. I did a few small events and small deliveries just to get my name out there. I was meeting folks in mall parking lots and at Walmart lol.
Looking back, I don’t know how I did it. I didn’t have any resources, so I was frying donuts two at a time with a fryer I bought from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I eventually got another fryer that could fry 4, so I was using both fryers and doing 6 at a time. Now, our fryer in our shop can do 36 at a time and something like 500 dozen an hour.
At the time I was thinking of expanding the business, I was still working full-time and I have three children also, some quitting for donuts was a huge risk, so I decided a good truck would do me better. I could do that during my spare time and off days – Boy was I wrong! We ended up being north Texas’ original donut food truck and people began to request us so much that I eventually did leave my job for Dough Boy full-time.
My dad and I ran the truck full-time for about 2.5 years before the perfect opportunity came up for us to open a space on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. We opened our brick and mortar on August 15.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have been tons of struggles. People think that since a food truck is a smaller version of a restaurant that it’s easy. It isn’t.
You have to deal with weather…the heat is brutal. Any air conditioning you have is irrelevant…with our fryer, proofer and other equipment running…plus the bodies on the truck, it can easily be 125+ degrees in the truck. It’s a little easier in the winter to work the truck, but you have to realize through all of the seasons that most people don’t want to stand in line at your truck in the heat or even freezing temps.
Financially, it’s rough also…a lot of events are a gamble. Some event planners ask that you pay a fee to serve at a specific event, but sometimes they’re projections for attendees might fall short. I’ve done events where the planners estimate 10,000 people show up, so they get 10 or so trucks, but then only 250 show up. Also, unless it’s a food truck geared event, you’ll only get a small percentage of people that eat and an even smaller percentage that eat at YOUR truck.
So, yeah…there’s a lot of risk involved in the truck life as well.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Dough Boy Donuts – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Gourmet donuts aren’t as original as they were even when I began in 2015. It’s tough to not offer the same/similar items as your competitors, so you have to think outside of the box a bit.
Just about every gourmet donut place has a maple bacon donut, so what I did to be different was put sriracha on ours. Sriracha Maple Bacon. It’s easily our top seller. It had a maple glaze topped with a piece of Sriracha candied bacon. It has the perfect balance of “sweet and heat”.
Also, our donuts are made from scratch. We use real ingredients and not any fillers or junk. I won’t name names, but a lot of “gourmet” places use a donut mix that you just add water, mix up, fry and serve. That gives you a traditional light and airy donut, but since ours is made differently it’s a little dense and more substantial.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Fort Worth. I grew up outside of Dallas and honestly, never really cared for Fort Worth. When I met my now wife, she wanted to live here so I agreed and instantly fell in love with the city.
It’s a huge city, but with a small city vibe. Fort Worth supports Fort Worth more than anything I’ve experienced. The city loves its own. It’s truly beautiful.
Pricing:
- Donuts range from $2 – $4
Contact Info:
- Address: 4910 Camp Bowie Blvd
Fort Worth 76107 - Website: DoughBoyDonutsDFW@gmail.com
- Phone: 682-841-7797
- Email: DoughBoyDonutsDFW@gmail.com
- Instagram: @doughboydonuts
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DoughBoyDonutsDFW/
- Twitter: @DoughBoyDFW
Image Credit:
Rory Balkin
Jessica Irvin
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