A modest storefront at 193 Lark Street in Albany has been transformed into a multi-colored haven for doughnut lovers.
Bitchin’ Donuts is billed as "a 100% woman owned and fully plant based donut and coffee shop" in Center Square. Owner Tania Sharlow, who moved the business to the Capital Region from Glens Falls a year ago, says going vegan was a process.
"It was a challenging new way of using ingredients. And it was really fun. And I was looking to leave the restaurant industry I was in, and it just was like the right time to do my own thing," said Sharlow. "And my background is in QSR [Quick Service Restaurant], I was a manager for Dunkin’ Donuts for 15 years, so like to move into coffee and donuts was just kind of like a parallel slide, but with completely different ingredients and clientele."
Sharlow says plant-based means that there is no meat, no eggs, and no dairy products, or animal byproducts. Business has been brisk.
"When people ask us how our move has been, I generally say like, we have doubled the amount of everything that we're doing, while also needing less staff, because we're in a much smaller space. So you know, in a lot of ways for business, it's been really good, but also for exposure and for getting our product out there. Like being more doughnut forward has been a great move for us," Sharlow said.
Mayor Kathy Sheehan is a customer and a cheerleader.
“Everybody's been raving about it, everybody's been talking about it. It's the talk of the town with respect to being a great new addition here in the city of Albany. So congratulations," said Sheehan. "And this is a corridor that is really a place where there are many, many people like Tania, who have a great idea who work really hard, and were able to find the space to fulfill their dream of entrepreneurship. And so she's joining an ecosystem of business owners who support one another who are there to help one another. And she's also joining a neighborhood where you have residents who are really vested in ensuring that you succeed.”
Sixth Ward Common Councilor Gabriella Romero says the shop is a harbinger of change for Lark Street, where a $3.3 million dollar project to refresh the streetscape between Madison Avenue and Washington Avenue is underway.
"Bitchin' donuts, what a great addition to Lark Street. Not only does it have amazing doughnuts and different little treats, but it's so cool. Look at this building, it really fits with the vibe of Lark Street," said Romero.
Sharlow's advice to any woman dreaming of opening a business: go for it, believe in yourself and use positive affirmations to boost your business-confidence.
"Keep saying things and saying things until they become things and then you're actually acting on them and putting them out into the universe as actual actions. Everything that I have done has started with, "I think," and then the words become actual things and then I can see like how the whole process has gone from thoughts to things," Sharlow said.
