A trailblazer in Vancouver's gourmet donut scene is bringing a pivotal chapter to a close. Cartems Donuts revealed Wednesday (Nov. 8) it will soon be closing its downtown location permanently.
In a social media post declaring "End of an era," the donut shop operators captioned the announcement letter-style to its "Cartems Family."
"We have important news to share. Our beloved Cartems Donuts shop on West Pender will be serving its last donuts on November 26*, as the building is set to be demolished for new development," begins the announcement.
Thanking customers for their ongoing support, Cartems continues: "This is not goodbye, but a transition. We are filled with gratitude for the memories and friendships we’ve made here. Stay tuned for future updates, and in the meantime, come share a donut and some stories as we cherish these final days."
Known for its lineup of cake, yeast, and cream-filled (aka "stuffie") donuts in classic and creative flavours, as well as its many vegan offerings, Cartems is among the leaders of the pack when it comes to delectable doughnuts in Vancouver.
Cartems debuted in 2012, and their shop at 534 W Pender St in Vancouver was their first brick-and-mortar location.
In the ensuing years, Cartems added locations in Mount Pleasant and Kitsilano. In 2021, the Kits location closed its doors.
Initial reaction from Cartems fans on social media shows that donut lovers are devastated at the shop loss, but also relieved that Cartems is not out of the game entirely.
Follow @cartemsdonuts for updates on the donut biz.
*Cartems initially published Nov. 27 as their closing date and have since revised their announcement to indicate Nov. 26 will be their last day on Pender.
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