Bethel Park welcomes Peace, Love and Little Donuts
Peace Love & Little Donuts owner Ron Razete (center) observes as pastry chef Alyssa Gibson (left) and store manager Shaye Kennedy ice items for sale at its new location. The store, located at 100 Broughton Road in Bethel Park, opened for business Dec. 2.
Ron Razete whips up batter to make the donuts at Peace Love & Little Donuts, now located in Bethel Park
Pastry chef Alyssa Gibson ices some of the sweet treats now available at the Bethel Park location of Peace Love & Little Donuts
Ron Razete checks his iPad while working and enjoying one of his donuts at his new business located in Bethel Park. Peace Love and Little Donuts, which started in the Strip District, opened at 100 Broughton Road on Dec. 2
Peace Love & Little Donuts owner Ron Razete helps pastry chef Alyssa Gibson sort and placed iced donuts on a tray for purchase at the store’s new location in Bethel Park.
Peace Love & Little Donuts, well known for its colorful van and sweet treats in the Strip District, has opened its second location in Bethel Park.
When Ron Razete looked to expand Peace, Love and Little Donuts, ironically, Anthony Braun suggested a location near one of his Dunkin Donuts franchises in Bethel Park.
Of Braun, Razete said, “he’s actually one of my best friends. We even sit next to each other in church on Sundays,” he added of the Christ Church at Grove Farm congregation. “He told me that he knew of a nice little spot that I might be interested in.”
Razete was more than interested in the storefront that formerly housed a pizza place. He fell in love with 100 Broughton Road. After nearly two months of renovations, he welcomed his first patrons on Dec. 2.
“I love donuts,” said Anita Wooley of Bethel Park. Because she was making an insurance payment at the business next store, she stopped and purchased a glazed donut. “I like filled donuts best.”
Because of his new location, Razete has room to expand upon his creations. Space is not a luxury at his original operation in the Strip District. At that Peace, Love and Little Donuts site on Smallman Street, Razete jokingly says ‘you have to go outside to change your mind’ but in Bethel Park there is room to move, think and develop.
In addition to donuts, Razete hopes to evolve into a coffee shop that also offers scones, cinnamon rolls, bagels and biscuits. He hired Alyssa Gibson of Beechview for that purpose. “We hired her for this location specifically because we want to do all that. Plus, we roast our own coffee,” added Razete. “Because this had been a pizza place, most of the equipment we needed was already here. We had to make few alterations in that regard. But, unlike our other spot in the Strip, we do have a lot of space to do a lot more.”
Peace, Love and Little Donuts does a lot more than sell single servings to individuals. The business caters to corporate clients and customers planning special parties or events such as weddings. Razete prides himself on customizing orders. For Google, he created donuts frosted with colored jimmies in the search engine’s corporate colors. He designed and baked 80 dozen donuts for the Winter Classic. Most recently, he completed an order of 120 dozen treats for Clear Channel to distribute to its clients during the holidays.
“While our boxes are custom made to fit half or a dozen donuts, we do have a two-pack that makes for nice gifts and we do special things for wedding parties and events and of course, you can just come in and treat yourself,” Razete said.
Even Dunkin Donut customers can indulge.
“Gosh,” Razete said. “I’m not worried about competing with Dunkin Donuts. We’re a totally different animal [than them]. We do raised and filled donuts here.”
Peace, Love and Little Donuts is open from 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. For more information visit www.peaceloveanlittledonuts.com or call 412-595-7430.