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Donut Wheel facts for kids

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Donut Wheel
Donut Wheel.jpg
Restaurant information
Established 1962; 63 years ago (1962)
Street address 2017 First St
City Livermore
State California

The Donut Wheel is a famous doughnut shop in Livermore, California. It opened in 1962 and has been a special landmark ever since. You can find it right where four main parts of the city meet.

The Sweet History of Donut Wheel

How the Donut Shop Got Its Name

Jack and Jean Weil started the Donut Wheel in 1962. They had just moved to Livermore from San Francisco. At first, it was called "Jack's Donut Wheel."

The name "Donut Wheel" came from a friend of Jack's. He noticed that people often said "wheel" when they tried to say Jack's last name, Weil. So, the name stuck! Jack and Jean sold the shop in 1972. It has had a few different owners since then, but the name has always stayed the same.

The Building's Past Lives

The building where Donut Wheel is located has a long history. It was first built in 1941 as a Purity grocery store. In 1958, a German architect named Hans J. Schiller updated the building.

He designed it in a cool style called Googie architecture. This style uses bold shapes and bright signs. Before it was a grocery store, the spot held an old building from the 1800s called the Washington Hotel.

What the Building Looks Like

The Donut Wheel building is one story tall. It looks a bit like a large Quonset hut, which is a type of building with a rounded roof. It also has a unique zig-zag concrete roof that sticks out over the parking lot. The building features big, rectangular windows.

Who Runs Donut Wheel Today

A Family Tradition of Delicious Doughnuts

Today, Savanna Taing manages the Donut Wheel. She is the daughter of Mary Naryung Tang and Mok Kim Tang. Her parents moved to the United States from Cambodia in 1987.

They learned how to make delicious doughnuts from relatives. These relatives worked at another famous shop called Bob's Donuts in Palo Alto, California. The Donut Wheel continues to be a beloved spot for tasty treats in Livermore.

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