Sweet Coloradough Opens Second Glenwood Springs Shop in September

Glenwood Springs —Sweet Coloradough is opening a second location in Glenwood Springs this September.

The new shop will sit on West Sixth Street, within walking distance of downtown. It joins the existing South Glen Avenue location, which remains open.

For a town of 10,000 people, the demand is real. Aaron Badalato, owner of Sweet Coloradough, told the Post Independent that his South Glen Avenue shop sells about 6,000 doughnuts on a typical Saturday. That volume earned the business a spot on Yelp’s list of the top 100 doughnut shops in the U.S. in 2022.

Badalato isn’t worried about splitting that customer base between two addresses. “As far as demand for donuts, I don’t see that being an issue,” he said.

The West Sixth Street location will differ from the original in scale and service. It features a full kitchen where doughnuts are made in-house, expanded seating, and more parking. A drive-thru is planned but won’t be operational at launch. The menu will include doughnuts, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and coffee beverages.

Both locations hold liquor licenses. This allows Sweet Coloradough to maintain a specific quirk: handing out free tequila shots to customers. It’s a detail that distinguishes the brand from standard coffee shops or bakeries in the valley.

Badalato said the company’s strategy remains focused on consistency, quality, and customer service. “Keeping a high standard there keeps people coming back,” he wrote in the Post Independent. “And that’s really been the key to our success is providing a quality product that’s consistently followed with good service.”

The company’s growth traces back to its launch 13 years ago. Before the first location opened, Badalato said the team handed out nearly 30,000 doughnuts for free. It was a “mouth-to-word advertising strategy,” he called it.

One specific giveaway involved placing a box of doughnuts on a Roaring Fork Transportation Authority bus. Badalato recalled a passenger from England who received one of those donuts. “They open the door, the box of donuts goes in, and she still comes back 13 years later,” he said.

That longevity illustrates the customer base that now supports multiple Western Slope locations. Badalato describes this connection as “the smile factor.” He said the goal is to make a positive impact on someone’s day, hoping they return that positivity to others. “That streamline of the more smiles we can bring to the world, hopefully creates momentum of happier people that create a better environment,” he said.

The expansion adds another option for locals who currently rely on the South Glen Avenue shop. For commuters and residents in the western part of town, West Sixth Street cuts down travel time to get a morning pastry. The new location also offers the full bar experience, something the original shop provides but with limited space.

The September opening date is set. The drive-thru timeline is not. Badalato did not specify when that feature will go live, only that it is “planned.”

The South Glen Avenue shop continues operations as usual. The West Sixth Street location will handle the overflow and the new menu items, including in-house doughnut production.

Badalato’s 13-year track record includes national recognition and a loyal local following. The addition of a second Glenwood Springs location signals that the business sees room for growth in its home market before expanding further.

The free tequila shots are likely to continue at both locations, provided the liquor licenses remain active. It’s a small perk, but it keeps the brand memorable in a crowded food scene.

Glenwood Springs now has two dedicated Sweet Coloradough locations. The question isn’t whether people will go to the new one. It’s whether the old one can keep up with 6,000 Saturday sales while sharing its reputation.