Why do you think it’s important to have spaces in our community where people feel like family and people feel safe, regardless of identity?
As a small business owner I am all about community! Community means all of us, and its important that there are places in Fort Collins where anyone can go where the staff/owners/customers look like them, respect them and welcome them. Can’t tell you how many parents of LGBTQ+ kids have thanked us for having pride flags year round so they know its a safe and welcoming place.
Do you see your experience as a business owner and a member of the LGBTQ+ community as different from business owners who are not part of the LGBTQ+ community?
Our experience has been that Fort Collins loves themselves some small businesses, regardless of the owners gender identity or sexual orientation.
Can you tell us about how you got started making donuts?
I spent 10 years in the pacific northwest and fell in love with all of the amazing coffee and donut shops up there. It’s built into the culture of the PNW. My family has been in Fort Collins a long time and whenever I visited I noticed a lack of small, local donut shops. Sometimes you need something more interesting than what the big chain donut shops are selling. It also so doesn’t hurt when that donut is served hot, freshly made right in front of you. We go out of our way to source ingredients locally, and try our best to spread the love around foco.
How would you like Fort Collins to celebrate Pride Month?
I would just like to remind everyone that anytime, not just pride month, it costs nothing to be kind.
Why do you think it’s important for our community to celebrate Pride Month?
It’s all about acceptance, visibility and making sure everyone knows they matter. We all deserve to get to be our authentic selves without worrying about being discriminated against. Pride is a time for everyone to come together and celebrate the progress we have made – while also acknowledging we still have work to do. We will always stand with our LGBTQ+ people and allies in the fight for equality.
What is one thing you want the Fort Collins community to know about you as a business owner?
I like that FoCo DoCo has the ability to have a positive impact on someones day, that’s what it’s all about. I get to serve people tasty little donuts and coffee and see a lot of smiling faces everyday and I really hope everyone knows that joy is a two way transaction. All the love and support you’ve showed us in these first 3 years, we are going to continue to try to put right back out into the community.
What’s your favorite donut flavor?
Lemon Poppyseed reins supreme.
What are some ways you’ve celebrated pride at FoCo DoCo?
We have a special donut we do every year for pride, THE PRIDE DONUT! We also have year specific pride stickers we make that are different every year so people can collect them. This year we are actually in the middle of moving to our new location and didn’t get any events planned, but we do have something up our sleeves for Fort Collins official pride weekend next month in July.
Do you feel like there’s a special connection among LGBTQ+ owned businesses and business owners?
Yes, but there could be a lot more of us. And that’s another great reason for celebrating Pride, and featuring businesses like ours who are proudly queer owned and operated. Anybody out there who isn’t sure if you can be an LGBTQ+ business owner in this community please look us up and look at us go! And definitely let us know if we can do anything to help you get going.
