Change is coming to Bay View as Hue Vietnamese Restaurant prepares to move into its brand new building at 2699 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, there are already plans brewing for a new concept that could move into the former Hue restaurant space at 2691 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. as soon as late summer or early fall.

Andrew Swofford of Happy Dough Lucky, has signed on to bring a new pizza and doughnut shop concept to the Bay View Neighborhood.

Doughnuts meet pizza

The popular mini doughnut brand debuted its first warm cinnamon sugar coated doughnuts in 2015, building a name for itself at festivals around greater Milwaukee. By 2019, they established a  vendor stall at the Mequon Public Market, where they expanded their offerings to include fully loaded mini doughnuts with toppings like birthday cake frosting, Andes Candies, Nutella and raspberry and cookies and cream.

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“For years, we’ve needed more space to accommodate catering orders and prepare for festivals during the summer months,” says Swofford, who says he has always aspired to taking the brand to the next level by establishing a brick and mortar restaurant.

Swofford says that, although the menu is still in the works, guests can count on a menu of both classic mini doughnuts and loaded doughnuts, along with a full coffee bar.

“We’ll set things up so that guests will be able to see the doughnuts being made at the back of the restaurant,” he says, noting that folks will also be able to buy premade doughnuts right from a bakery case.

Upgrades will include a machine dedicated to gluten-free doughnuts, allowing customers with gluten sensitivities to enjoy the same fresh warm treats as others.

Swofford says he’s currently working with a local chef to develop a recipe for pizza dough, with the anticipation of offering pizzas that emulate the Neapolitan style with a crust that’s crisp on the exterior, but chewy on the inside.

He says the menu is likely to be rounded out with a selection of salads and beverages, including housemade milkshakes.

Just plain fun

Swofford, who has hosted the Milwaukee Chili Bowl and other events in Milwaukee for years, says he looks forward to creating not only a restaurant that serves foods people love, but an experiential space that appeals to the child in all of us.

To do so, he says he’ll be working on a number of cosmetic changes to the building in the coming months, giving it a retro, nostalgic feel that’s similar to Happy Dough Lucky’s vendor stall at the Mequon Public Market.

“People come by our stall multiple times a day to take photos of it,” says Swofford, “They watch us make doughnuts and they stick around to play our mini arcade games.”

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He says he hopes the same will be true at the restaurant, where he plans to feature fun elements like mini video games, televisions to broadcast Saturday morning cartoons and various interactive elements to the new restaurant. 

“I was born and raised in Bay View, so I’m really excited to open a restaurant so close to where I grew up,” says Swofford. “The community has always meant a great deal to me and I can’t wait to bring this fun concept to the area.”