Home Cut Donuts in Joliet is a 57-year family tradition

Mandy Sayles and her family love Home Cut Donut’s white cream filling so much, she actually bought a container of it one year to use in a loved one’s birthday cake.

People in Georgia, where Sayles now lives, also enjoy the doughnuts from this Joliet business. Because whenever Sayles comes to town, Sayles said she makes sure to stop at Home Cut to bring back doughnuts for her friends in Georgia.

“The consistency of the doughnut is amazing,” Sayles said. “I’ve never had a better doughnut, honestly.”

Ann Randich of Joliet said she took her children to Home Cut Donuts when she wanted to treat them and Home Cut was a “stop” along the way for the wedding party when one of her children was married in 2017.

Home Cut Donuts also is the go-to place for birthday celebrations in Brian Bessler’s family. In an email, Bessler said his parents used to bring him to Home Cut Donuts for a “Donut On A Stick” - a menu item his children enjoy today, too.

Then six years ago, Bessler saw a social media post social post featuring a Home Cut Donut doughnut in the shape of a number for a birthday. So Bessler ordered one for his daughter’s birthday – and then his other daughter wanted one for her birthday, and then his son did, too.

“It quickly became a yearly tradition for each of their birthdays,” Bessler said in the email. “Even during COVID, the staff brought out the custom donut to the car and sang ‘Happy Birthday!’”

Still the same

Jim Ruhaak, current owner of the nearly 57-year-old family business, said his father Bill Ruhaak and Bill Ruhaak’s two brothers Bob Ruhaak (Bill Ruhaak’s twin) and Dave Ruhaak opened Home Cut Donuts as a Mr. Donut franchise in 1966.

He said that when the contract expired 20 years later, they went into business for themselves: Home Cut Donuts.

Dave Ruhaak later opened a Home Cut Donuts in Texas, which was sold approximately 20 years ago, Jim Ruhaak said.

However, Home Cut Donuts wasn’t the brothers’ first business venture.

Jim Ruhaak said the brothers ran a milk depot in Peoria when they were in their teens. Jim Ruhaak isn’t certain what led the brothers to Joliet. But Joliet residents are glad they did.

Dave Bellah of New Lenox recalled his entire family stopping at Home Cut on Sunday mornings for doughnuts before heading to Sunday services at First Assembly of God, when it was located near six corners in Joliet.

Bellah said Home Cut Donuts is now the favorite eatery for his band after they’re done with their gigs for the night since the main store on Jefferson Street never closes.

“It will be around three in the morning and the Long John’s are just made hot and fresh like a taste of heaven,” Bellah said. “Simply the best.”

Jim Ruhaak said except for expanding the parking lot and substituting a few ingredients that aren’t on the market anymore, everything about Home Cut Donuts remains the same.

“It’s pretty much 98% of the original,” Jim Ruhaak said.

“The consistency of the doughnut is amazing. I’ve never had a better doughnut, honestly.”

—  Mandy Sayles of Georgia, longtime customer

Even the outlet on Joliet’s East side opened 20 years before Jim Ruhaak bought the business from his father and uncle in 2000. Not every brother worked every days, Jim Ruhaak said. But when they did, they put in 15 to 17 hours a day, he aid.

“I’m here seven days a week, probably at least 12 hours a day,” Jim Ruhaak said.

No short cuts

Home Cut Donut currently has 24 employees and he’s learned through the years how important it is to build a team where everyone works well together and is “on the same page,” he said.

“I think it’s just the little things that add up, like the calls in the middle of the night that need answering,” Jim Ruhaak said. “It’s just the attention to details, no short cuts, do it the same way it’s always been done.”

Gabby Carrera of Joliet has worked at Home Cut Donuts for five years and performed a whole range of duties, from selling doughnuts to stocking shelves to posting on social media.

Carrera said she used to pop into Home Cut Donuts from time to time because a friend worked there. One day, Jim Ruhaak offered her a job, she said. Carrera said she loves the flexible working hours and the family atmosphere, from the employees to the “regulars.”

“Honestly I think that just speaks for itself,” Carrera said.

[ Mystery Diner: Home Cut Donuts offers nearly 50 tasty varieties ]

Jim Ruhaak recalled simply spending time at Home Cut Donuts when he was a child and helping out a bit by the time he was 12. He never wanted to run the family business – he even worked in the computer industry for a while – until the time came to sell it, he said.

Now Jim Ruhaak can’t imagine doing anything else, especially after investing so much of his life into it, he said.

“It becomes extremely personal,” Jim Ruhaak said. “There’s a lot of pride and so much energy that’s been put into it. I’m very protective of the business.”

Jim Ruhaak said he’s missed out on some vacations and family events because of the business, but he says he has no regrets because he’s proud of “what’s been built.” He even welcomes competition because “it keeps everyone sharp,” he said.

He said new business owners sometimes underestimate the hardships they’ll experience, including some, like COVID “with all the challenges with employee safety” no one anticipated.

“We even did curbside delivery for a while. It was a lot of work,” Jim Ruhaak said. “Luckily, Joliet has been supportive of us for many generations, so we were able to get through all that.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Home Cut Donuts

WHEN: 24 hours a day, seven days a week (main shop), 5 a.m. to noon, Mondays through Saturdays and 6 a.m. to noon Sundays (outlet shop)

WHERE: 815 W. Jefferson St. Joliet (main shop) and 1317 E. Washington St. Joliet (outlet shop)

INFO: Call 815-727-3511 (main shop) and 815-726-2132 (outlet shop). Visit homecutdonuts.com.

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Glazed donuts, a customer favorite, hang on a rack at Home Cut Donuts on Jefferson Street, Saturday, March 25, 2023 in Joliet. (Gary Middendorf – gmiddendorf@shawmedia/Gary Middendorf)