Lamars Donuts

From the moment Ray Lamar crafted his original donut recipe in 1933, a legacy of deliciousness was born. In 1960, the first LaMar’s Donuts opened its doors in Kansas City, Missouri, quickly becoming a sensation with lines forming daily for a taste of their hot, fresh treats. The roots of LaMar’s Donuts date back to 1933 when Ray Lamar, 17,  began making donuts at the Jack Frost Donuts Company.

During those days, wholesale donuts were made in the morning and the store opened for retail business at 11am and stayed open until midnight. Back then, a dozen donuts cost 18 cents. Cake donuts were either plain or dusted with powdered sugar or granulated sugar.  Yeast donuts were also available. By the early 1940s, Ray Lamar introduced new flavors, devil’s food donuts, chocolate iced donuts and an apple spice donut to the menu.

Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar’s Donuts in a converted gas station on Linwood Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1960. Locals immediately flocked to the homemade donuts and LaMar’s Donuts became a Kansas City institution. Lines started forming before 6 a.m., and by closing time more than 11,000 donuts are sold at this single location. The store was known for their fresh, delicious donuts and the staff never refused a special request.

Based on the donut shop’s phenomenal success and widespread reputation, Ray LaMar and his wife Shannon, made the decision in 1990 to franchise LaMar’s Donuts. Today, we have 24 locations in five states: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. LaMar’s Donuts have been recommended by Zagat’s Survey, The New Yorker and Gourmet Magazine, and was chosen in the summer of 2008 as one of America’s five best donuts by AOL Cityguide.

Ray was a guest on Good Morning America, The Today Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Hallmark Cards designed a greeting card in his honor and the Kansas Trivial Pursuit game has a question that reads: “Where do you stand in line for donuts in Kansas City?” Answer: LaMar’s Donuts.