A Montreal dessert chain known for frying up hot, glazed Doughpuffs has crossed the border for the first time, setting up shop at 31971 Woodward Ave. in Royal Oak. Mr. Puffs opened its doors there on Oct. 29, giving Michigan its first taste of a treat the company has been perfecting since 2004.
The opening marks a milestone two decades in the making. Mr. Puffs is a Montreal-born dessert brand that has served customers across Canada for more than 20 years, according to The Oakland Press. Founder Pandelis “Billy” Siounis started the business in Montreal in 2004, selling Doughpuffs at festivals using his mother's recipe, as reported by themetrodetroitnews.com.
From Festival Tent to Storefronts Across Canada
The business grew from humble beginnings into a cross-border brand. Mr. Puffs grew from a tent to a food truck and then storefronts across Canada, the same report notes, before the company expanded further into Athens, Greece. A companion account from the Metro Detroit outlet describes the company's path similarly, noting it moved from festival sales into a food truck and then its first Quebec branch.
The treats themselves are the draw. A Doughpuff is Mr. Puffs' modern take on traditional Greek loukoumades, per the Oakland Press account. Made with vegan, yeast-risen batter, the treats are fried to order and glazed before serving, and customers can watch them being prepared inside the shop, themetrodetroitnews.com reports. They're sold in boxes of 12, 30 or 50, giving newcomers and bulk buyers alike a way to sample the Montreal recipe.
Free Puffs for Life Giveaway Sweetens the Debut
Timed to the Royal Oak opening, Mr. Puffs promoted a Free Puffs for Life giveaway on Instagram.
Royal Oak is the latest stop on a growth run that has stretched across provinces. Since 2016, Mr. Puffs has opened 72 franchises, including 46 in Quebec and 26 in Ontario, according to The Globe and Mail. The outlet also reports that Siounis came up with the idea for Mr. Puffs in 2004 after finishing hotel management school and working in Greek restaurants that served loukoumades.
A Chain That Weathered the Pandemic
Mr. Puffs' popularity has had its ups and downs over the years. A June 2020 article from Time Out reported that orders from Mr. Puffs beat out poutine as Quebec's most-ordered comfort food on Uber Eats that May, even as Siounis said at the time that the company's sales were down 20% amid the pandemic. The same report noted the chain had 19 locations in Quebec and beyond as of mid-2020, with a new store in Saint-Jérôme.
Back in Royal Oak, the newly opened shop gives Metro Detroit its own entry point into the brand's fried-dough legacy. Whether the Woodward Avenue location becomes a springboard for more U.S. stores remains to be seen, but for now, it stands as Mr. Puffs' lone foothold south of the Canadian border.
