We were lucky to catch up with Alan & Lisa Chow recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alan & Lisa, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Donuts have always been a part of our lives. My husband grew up in the donut business, learning from his family, and we both share a deep love for our hometown of Hercules. So when a spot opened up in town, we knew it was the perfect opportunity—not just to open another shop, but to bring something special to our community.
Inspired by Hercules’ history as a Dynamite factory, Dynamite Donuts was born—offering not just classic treats but gourmet flavors and custom creations. We saw a gap in the market for high-quality, handcrafted donuts, and we knew we could fill it with something unique.
What excites us most is seeing our community come together over something as simple and nostalgic as a donut. From special celebrations to everyday indulgences, Dynamite Donuts is our way of giving back to the town that shaped us—one delicious bite at a time.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Meet the Faces Behind Dynamite Donuts
Hi! We’re the proud owners of Dynamite Donuts, a gourmet donut shop in our hometown of Hercules. Donuts have been a family tradition—my husband grew up in the industry, and together, we saw an opportunity to bring something special to our community.
What Makes Us Different
We don’t just make donuts—we create an experience. Our shop specializes in gourmet flavors, custom designs, and handcrafted treats made with high-quality ingredients. Whether it’s a unique flavor or a special order for an event, we’re all about making every bite memorable. Dynamite Donuts is also the second donut shop we’ve opened, with Rainbow Donuts in Berkeley being the first. Expanding to Hercules allowed us to bring our creativity and passion for gourmet donuts to a whole new audience.
Why We Started
Hercules being such a small town was the perfect place to fill it up with creative, high-quality donuts and make it easy for people to get custom treats for birthdays, weddings, and events—without leaving town.
What We’re Most Proud Of
Seeing our community come together over our donuts has been the most rewarding part of this journey. Dynamite Donuts isn’t just a business; it’s a passion project, a family legacy, and a way to share something we love with the people around us.
We can’t wait for you to try our donuts and be part of our story!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
My co-founder and business partner is actually my husband! We’ve been together since high school, and back then, I always knew him as the donut boy because his family had been in the donut business for years. Little did I know that one day, we’d be building our own donut shop together!
Growing up in Hercules, we always dreamed of giving back to our hometown. So when an opportunity came up to open a shop, it felt like the perfect moment to combine his industry expertise with our shared passion. We didn’t just want to open another donut shop—we wanted to bring something fresh, creative, and unique to the community, offering gourmet, handcrafted donuts with custom flavors and designs.
Family has always been at the heart of everything we do. With both of our families living in town, we love how often they come by to support us, or whether it’s lending a hand at the shop or just stopping in to grab their favorite donut and coffee. It makes Dynamite Donuts feel even more like home, and we’re so grateful to share this journey with them and our community.
Starting Dynamite Donuts together has been an incredible journey. His deep knowledge of the business paired with my creativity and marketing skills has allowed us to build something truly special. It’s been amazing not only to grow a business together but to create a space where people can enjoy something we both love.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Our biggest source of new clients has been word-of-mouth and social media. Since day one, our community has been incredibly supportive—people love sharing their favorite donuts with friends and family, and that organic buzz has been invaluable.
Instagram has also played a huge role in growing Dynamite Donuts. Our gourmet, handcrafted donuts are not only delicious but also visually appealing, making them highly shareable. Customers love posting their custom orders and unique flavors, which helps spread the word to new potential customers.
Additionally, special events and custom orders have introduced us to new clients. Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, or corporate event, our donuts become part of people’s celebrations, leading to repeat business and new referrals.
Ultimately, our success has come from building strong relationships with our customers and letting our product speak for itself. Nothing beats a great donut and a happy customer!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dynamitedonutsinc.com
- Instagram: dynamitedonutshercules
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dynamite-donuts-hercules?osq=dynamite+donuts
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dynamitedonutshercules
Image Credits
All images were taken by me