Voodoo Doughnut, Portland
Old Town Portland’s most famous pink box didn’t come from a focus group. Voodoo Doughnut started as a late-night experiment in what happens when you put breakfast cereal on fried dough and add a side of punk rock attitude.
Two decades and several health code adjustments later, it’s still serving up Portland’s signature sugar rush. Here’s the story.
The birth of Voodoo Doughnut
Longtime buddies Tres Shannon and Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson hatched Voodoo in 2003 after realizing Portland was seriously lacking in late-night doughnut options.
Neither knew how to actually make doughnuts, though.
So they flew to Los Angeles for lessons before setting up shop in a former adult film store in Old Town.
The tiny space came with a bonus – an upstairs room that they turned into the “Chapel of Love,” hosting legal weddings complete with doughnut bouquets.
Wickedly creative flavors
Their early menu pushed way past your standard glazed.
We’re talking doughnuts topped with NyQuil (yeah, the FDA shut that down), Pepto Bismol, and crushed pain pills (also nixed).
But their wilder legal creations stuck. The bacon maple bar that put them on the map, the Voodoo Doll doughnut stabbed with a pretzel stake, and their signature Fruit Loop-covered classics.
They were also the first spot to serve vegan doughnuts in Portland, way before it was cool.
Staying true to their roots
The pink boxes and “the magic is in the hole” slogan became Portland icons, and celebs started dropping in.
Everyone from Anthony Bourdain to Marilyn Manson got their sugar fix here.
But the Old Town spot still runs 24/7 (except when they ran out of dough during the great doughnut rush of 2011), still hosts weddings, and still serves doughnuts in exchange for concert tickets through their “tickets for trade” program.
You can legally get married under a holy donut
Before selling doughnuts, Pogson and Shannon were already Universal Life ministers. This background let them perform legal weddings from day one, with the first Voodoo wedding happening just a week after they opened in 2003.
By 2025, more than 1,500 couples have tied the knot at various Voodoo locations. Wedding packages start at $300 and include the ceremony, bride and groom doughnut figures, a heart-shaped doughnut centerpiece, and coffee.
Ceremonies happen under a giant ‘holy doughnut’ that hangs from the ceiling.
The late bird gets the donut
When Voodoo first opened in 2003, you couldn’t buy doughnuts during the day. They only operated from 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. until 2006, focusing on Portland’s night crowd instead of morning commuters.
This unusual schedule helped build their alternative reputation. For late-night customers when the inside was closed, they installed a special ‘doughnut window’ on the building for walk-up orders.
They expanded to 24-hour service in 2011 after remodeling the original shop.
The FDA wasn’t happy with some of the flavors
Their NyQuil Glazed doughnut used real cough syrup, while the Vanilla Pepto Bismol doughnut was actually dipped in stomach medicine and topped with crushed Tums.
Shannon said these were meant to help customers who had ‘that shot of tequila you shouldn’t have at 2:00 a.m.’ The FDA stopped these medicine-laced treats in 2006, though the buzz helped put Voodoo on the map.
They also tried an ‘Oyster’ doughnut that customers hated more than any other flavor.
The shop name is controversial
When Voodoo tried to open in New Orleans in 2023, they faced serious pushback.
Local Voodoo religious practitioners, led by Divine Prince Ty Emmecca (who calls himself the King of New Orleans Voodoo), criticized the company for misusing sacred religious elements.
They found the chocolate Voodoo Doll doughnut with its pretzel stake and jelly ‘blood’ particularly offensive.
Religious leaders also pointed out that using Baron Samedi (a Haitian Vodou spirit) in their logo wasn’t appropriate for selling doughnuts.
Portland’s official donut is a Voodoo creation
No other American city has an officially designated doughnut except Portland (so far). And that honor went to the Portland Cream from Voodoo Doughnut.
On December 24, 2008, Mayor Tom Potter and the City Council officially named this chocolate-topped, cream-filled treat ‘Portland’s Official City Doughnut.’
Unlike regular Boston Cream doughnuts, the Portland version has custard mixed with triple chocolate and cinnamon sugar on top.
It remains one of their top 5 bestsellers in 2025, with over 250,000 sold each year.
Someone actually died during a donut eating challenge
Voodoo used to run a daring food challenge with their half-pound ‘Tex-Ass’ doughnut. If you could eat this massive glazed doughnut (equal to six regular ones) in 80 seconds, you’d get a free pin and your money back.
The contest ended tragically in April 2017 when someone choked to death while attempting it in Denver. Before they stopped the challenge, about 9,000 people had tried it with only 500 succeeding.
This 7-inch doughnut packed around 1,400 calories and 25 grams of fat, making it one of America’s most calorie-heavy single menu items.
They used to have doughnut-flavored beer
From 2011 to 2016, Voodoo worked with Oregon’s Rogue Ales to create doughnut-flavored beers.
The partnership began when Rogue’s president called the founders to say how much he loved their doughnuts.
Their first creation, Bacon Maple Ale (based on their famous Bacon Maple Bar), came out in September 2011. Beer experts didn’t love it, but customers did.
They later made Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Ale, Lemon Chiffon Crueller Ale, and Grape Guerilla Ale based on the Grape Ape doughnut.
They were targeted by conspiracy theorists
In 2018, Voodoo Doughnut faced bizarre false accusations online.
Far-right internet personalities claimed the shop was secretly involved in child trafficking, creating the hashtag #doughnutgate.
These fake stories spread through YouTube videos and social media, with actor Isaac Kappy helping to boost the false claims. Some conspiracy believers thought Voodoo’s unusual doughnut names and designs contained hidden messages.
Though completely made up, these stories forced the company to publicly respond and affected staff safety for months.
They started a doughnut record label
In 2013, Shannon and Pogson launched Voodoo Doughnut Recordings, calling it ‘The World’s Leading Doughnut-Based Recording Company.’
They released a ‘baker’s dozen’ (13) vinyl singles in their first year.
Each record featured doughnut-themed music on colored vinyl with special die-cut sleeves. Early bands included The Doughnut Boys and The Deep Fried Boogie Band with songs like ‘It Ain’t No Cupcake (Workin’ at Voodoo Doughnut).’
They later released recordings from Portland bands like Dead Moon and The Dandy Warhols.
Visiting Voodoo Doughnut, Portland
Find the original shop at 22 SW 3rd Avenue in Old Town Chinatown, open 24 hours every day. Be ready for lines, especially on weekends.
- Getting There: Walk from downtown or take TriMet public transit. Street parking is limited.
- Must-Try Items: The Portland Cream, Bacon Maple Bar, and signature Voodoo Doll.
- Payment: They take cash and all major credit cards.
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