Updated March 4
Owners of the iconic Oak Bluffs eatery Back Door Donuts have announced a new pop-up bakery slated to open this month at Fenway Park’s historic Lansdowne Street in Boston: “BDD stans asked … and we listened!” the bakery’s website says. “Our team has been working hard behind the scenes over the past couple of years to bring a little piece of everyone’s favorite Island donut shop to the great city of Boston.”
Fritter fans will now be able to grab their favorite late night snack at Donuts After Dark, which will be located at the side door of Boston’s Southern-style restaurant, Loretta’s Last Call. The bakery is set to be open daily from 7 pm to 2:30 am, beginning March 15.
“We’re thrilled to bring the ‘Donuts After Dark’ tradition to Fenway’s historic Lansdowne Street, and we look forward to crossing paths with longtime fans and newcomers alike,” the announcement states.
Donuts After Dark will “serve freshly baked donuts, apple fritters, and all of our other assorted baked goods that you know and love,” the announcement states, “when the sun goes down, of course!”
The Island mainstay, sold to a group of seasonal residents by long-term owners Janice Casey and Rita Brown back in 2018, has become a must-visit destination over the years for tourists and locals alike.
A month after the sale, the Oak Bluffs select board unanimously approved the business transfer to new stakeholders and investors Richard Friedman, Patrick Lyons, and David Ginsberg.
Friedman, a real estate investor, hotelier, and philanthropist, is a longtime seasonal resident of Edgartown; Lyons, who is set to take over ownership of the upcoming taqueria in Tisbury, heads a Boston-based entertainment and restaurant conglomerate; and Ginsberg, a seasonal Chilmark resident, serves as vice chairman of the Fenway Sports Group and is part-owner of the Boston Red Sox.
“We feel that after four years, we have a better understanding of what BDD means to the legions of fans who make it a must-visit [on the Vineyard],” the stakeholders said in a statement. “Along the way we have fielded countless requests for a Back Door Donuts to open in other locations. Of course we recognize the magic of the Oak Bluffs location; it will always remain unique. The decision to do a pop-up in the Fenway area is in response to the needs of our loyal staff and their desire to grow and seek opportunity. We are hopeful that the Boston pop-up is a success, and reflects positively on the Martha’s Vineyard original. At the moment, we have no plans for any expansion beyond the Fenway pop-up.”
What’s a “stan”? Don’t you mean “fans”?
Thanks for the comment. Because we’ve had other inquiries: Oxford Languages defines “stan” as an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.
Oh that’s interesting. Thank you.
before it was Back Door Donuts (Old Stone bakery), 40+ years ago, Chris Rebello knocked on the back door one summer late night and asked if we could buy a couple of donuts. Because Chris was Chris, and the “donut guy” knew of his role in Jaws, six donuts came free of charge. We took advantage of the free donuts a few more times that summer. I am pretty sure that’s where it all started…should name a donut after Chris.
Remember when Back Door was kind of cool and you only heard about it by word of mouth amongst the late night bar patrons of OB? No soccer moms with their kids waiting in line for an hour back then.
Yup. And I’m sure glad we got to experience the real back door doughnuts. I still regret never taking the job they posted looking for a doughnut finisher.
Because I can finish a LOT of doughnuts.
In the 60’s, one night after the Lampost closed we were walking through the parking lot. The bakers were frying donuts so wandered over. They were the best!
And I can’t imagine you paid more than five cents each! What a wonderful memory 🙂
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