Giggle Monsters Craft Donuts

Resolve to Giggle More This Year

By Ellen Samsell Salas

Six years ago, Jennifer and Arturo Howard, founders and owners of Giggle Monsters Craft Donuts, knew nothing about running a business and didn’t know what type of business Cherokee County residents would embrace.

They did know that commuting and working in the corporate world was robbing them of time with their children. And, they knew that they loved the Saturday morning donut run when they visited Jennifer’s parents in Tennessee. So, they leapt into learning the donut business.

“It was an accident,” says Arturo. “We ran into it.”

For months, they spent weekends training, researching, and learning everything they could about donuts. In October 2015, they signed a lease for their business. In December, they opened their shop on Bells Ferry Road. Enticed by the aroma, donut lovers lined up for the grand opening.

“We knew how to cook donuts, but we knew nothing about running or promoting a business,” Jennifer remembers. “I had started a Facebook page. We did taste tests, giving the donuts to neighboring businesses.”

Today, their popularity has soared. They are experts at creating a destination where customers find their favorite donuts, and families have fun.

FROM S’MORES TO CRONUTS
The Donut Shop With the Big Imagination

From the get-go, Jennifer and Arturo wanted their endeavor to be more than your typical quick-stop donut shop. Only at Giggle Monsters do patrons find a donut bar with 42 toppings, 45-50 varieties of fresh donuts every day, and a selfie wall for those all-important photos to add to the fun.

The Howards craft every variety of donut imaginable, from s’mores to cronuts (a fried croissant with glaze or cinnamon sugar), to their Giggle Monsters donuts that change color and decoration daily, to seasonal treats such as pumpkin spice. Also made from scratch, using only the best ingredients, are standards like old-fashioned, cake, and glazed.

“If you can imagine it, we’ll make it,” says Arturo.

That can-do spirit defines Giggle Monsters. For St. Patrick’s Day, they dye the dough green. Prior to COVID-19, they welcomed birthday parties where each child could create his or her own donut. Determined not to close their doors when the pandemic hit, Jennifer devised do-it-yourself, take-home, Easter “donut kits,” complete with donuts, icings, and toppings, receiving 350 orders in an hour and a half.

“We’re so grateful that the community rallied behind us and other small businesses,” said Arturo. “They even came in just to buy gift cards.”

With corporate orders of 60-70 dozen donuts, custom fruit-topped wedding donuts, donuts that spell personalized messages or look like soccer balls, basketballs, and baseballs, Giggle Monsters accommodates a wide variety of customer requests and desires.

“We don’t say ‘no,’” says Jennifer. “That’s who we are. We get it done.”

Wanting to stamp their signature on this success, last September, the Howards changed the name of the business from Tasty Donuts to Giggle Monsters Craft Donuts.

GIVING BACK

After their blind leap into the world of donuts, Jennifer and Arturo take the most pleasure out of knowing their hard work has paid off in many ways.

“Owning your own business,” says Arturo, “You’re able to give back. We can say ‘yes.’”

To that end, Giggle Monsters partners with schools and teams on fundraisers and makes donuts for charity events, as they recently did when donating 300 pink-ribbon decorated donuts to the Walk to End Breast Cancer. The Howards also teamed up with Mayor Bill Grant’s youth engagement program, and they employ two special needs teens as part of the Cherokee County School District’s Transition Academy.

“We like to give back as much as possible,” Jennifer says. “If somebody needs donuts, Arturo is your guy.”

And the icing and sprinkles on top of it all? Arturo and Jennifer are able to spend more time with their children.

“We’re here. We’re close to our house. Our children can call, and we’re nearby,” says Jennifer.

Guaranteed To Make You Giggle
Delicious Donuts for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, and the Kids

Bells Ferry
10511 Bells Ferry Road, Canton, GA 30114
678-880-6504

@The Mill on Etowah
225 Reformation Parkway, Canton, GA 30114

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GiggleMonstersDonuts.com
(order online)

It All Adds Up to a MONSTER of a Donut Experience

45-50 Varieties, Made Fresh Daily
40+ Toppings
4 Icings

The Imaginative
Oreo With Gummy Worms
Peanut Butter Cup
S’mores
Coconut Cream Pie
Maple Bacon
Cinnamon Pinecones
Blueberry Cheesecake Fried Pies
Hot Chocolate
Red Velvet Fried Pies

The Tried and True
Cake (sometimes in 7 flavors!)
Glazed
Jelly-Filled
Old-Fashioned
Buttermilk
Twists

And Whatever You Can Imagine!

Have Trailer, Will Travel