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Voodoo Doughnut co-founder Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson and partner Tres Shannon want to keep doughnut culture alive — and outside of their original locations in Oregon, Denver felt like the next best place to spread that philosophy, with a smattering of cereal-topped delights and the coveted maple bacon bars.
The duo found the grittiness of Colfax to be a perfect fit for the candy-pink storefront, which could open this month. We recently caught up with Pogson and Shannon to learn more about what’s in store for Denver.
See also: Voodoo Doughnuts should be ready to bewitch Denver this fall
For example, every Voodoo Doughnut shop has a black-velvet painting that the owners like to call the “Spirit Channeler.” Oregon muses have included Isaac Hayes and Kenny Rogers — and Denver’s will take the form of a painting of East High School-alum Pam Grier.
Another way that Voodoo will adapt to Denver culture is with the creation of several Denver-inspired doughnuts. “We’re thinking of a Colfax Cream,” explains Pogson. “We’ll probably think about something that looks like the Capitol dome, white with a circling strip of gold to emphasize that it’s under construction. We’ll likely create a few around Denver sports players.”
Voodoo will take advantage of local purveyors, too — like Denver’s Novo Coffee, which they chose as their main pour. “They’re really down-to-earth people,” says Shannon. “We really like them.”
In terms of doughnut-making tradition, Voodoo turns its nose up at chains like Dunkin’ Donuts, which recently opened two stores in Denver. “We’re dedicated to the art of doughnut-making,” says Shannon. “We fry them, and we’re constantly filtering the oil.” Their dedication is rooted in their original doughnut training with three “doughnut wizards” in a suburb of Los Angeles, who collectively had 150 years of doughnut-making experience.
But this crew is also dedicated to bringing a Voodoo taste of the weird and exotic to Colfax. Along with flavor offerings that fall under those categories, Pogson and Shannon look forward to keeping their eccentric wedding tradition alive — Voodoo has officiated at a slew of weddings in Oregon — especially in a state where same-sex civil unions are legal.
“We’re bringing the circus to town,” says Shannon. “And Denver jumped out to us as a spot that has the Voodoo vibe.”
