Iconic Idaho Falls bakery returns under new ownership and it’s giving away free doughnuts
Published at
IDAHO FALLS – A longtime bakery and staple in Idaho Falls is making a comeback with free doughnuts.
The Baker’s Dozen at 561 South Woodruff is reopening its doors on Friday in conjunction with National Doughnut Day.
“We’ll start serving regular on Saturday but Friday will just be free doughnuts. A free doughnut for every person who comes in,” Jake Johnson, the new owner, tells EastIdahoNews.com.
Johnson purchased the business in April. He’s excited to bring back such an iconic bakery after Randy Jensen, the original owner, passed away unexpectedly in April 2021.
RELATED | Beloved baker who ‘never stopped doing what he loved’ unexpectedly dies
Johnson was a longtime customer of Baker’s Dozen and used to take his kids to the bakery every week.
“We just loved coming here. We were sad when it closed and saw an opportunity to get it back open. The real reason I bought it is because I wanted a good doughnut again,” Johnson says. “I’ve gone to plenty of other doughnut places and you just couldn’t get as good a doughnut (as you could here).”
Johnson acquired all of Jensen’s recipes with the purchase of the business and he’s thrilled that Jensen’s assistant baker, Vanessa Castiglia, will be returning as the head baker.
“Randy had 40 years of experience and we don’t, so that’s the downside. But we have the recipes and we’re working on the technique,” says Johnson. “We hope that people are willing to come back in and try it out. We hope they enjoy it as much as they used to and as much as we enjoyed it.”
Johnson also owns Big Deal Outlet at 400 South Woodruff.
RELATED | Here’s what’s happening to the old Smith’s building in Idaho Falls
The Baker’s Dozen will begin offering free doughnuts Friday morning at 6 a.m. until they’re gone. The business will close at 2 p.m.
The Baker’s Dozen will be open Thursday through Saturday for the first three weeks and expand to five days a week after that.
EastIdahoNews.com stopped by the bakery this week as the crew was preparing dough for opening day. Get a look in the video player above.
