Tony's Donuts and Bakery Opens in Hazelwood

Situated in the old Starbucks Coffee building on Howdershell Road is a gem of a shop called . Owners Kathy and George Badra opened their first shop in Maryland Heights in May 1995 and the in September.

They refer to their business as more of a café, and the shop presents patrons with many more options than a traditional doughnut shop offers. Along with doughnuts there are vast assortments of pastries, bagels, croissants, cakes, cupcakes, sandwiches and more. There is even a drive-thru window for those not wishing to come inside.

Because of their wide selection of foods and drinks, coupled with oversized leather seats, a flat screen TV and free WI-FI access, Tony’s has quite a strong following already. David Hanebrinck, of Hazelwood, eats there at least once a week for lunch.

“I work close and love the lunch special," he said. "A sandwich, doughnut, and drink for $5.49 is a good deal. Plus, the sandwich is really good."

The Badra's decided to open a second business in Hazelwood because of the tremendous success they've had in Maryland Heights. They said they scoped out buildings and chose the Howdershell locale because they really enjoyed both the building and the area.

“We love the place, and the fact that it is so close to the highway really makes it convenient," Kathy said. "Plus, there really isn't any close competition around."

Another star quality of Tony's is its quaint and family-oriented atmosphere. With a staff of only six, including the Badra's 21-year-old son Tony, whom the store was named after when he was five, the service is very personalized and authentic.

“I love working here,” said employee Jessie Castro. “The food is all made fresh and is better than other places I've found, and my bosses are so nice.

"We are like a big family.”

No matter what time of day or what you are craving, there seems to be something at Tony's to satisfy. The shop is open Monday through Sunday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. They also have breakfast specials consisting of a doughnut, sandwich and drink for $4.99 and lunch specials for $5.49.

Here is a small sample of what the store offers:

Homemade Bagels

• Cheddar cheese
• Asiago
• Onion
• Poppy seed
• Sesame
• Cinnamon raisin
• Blueberry

Sandwiches

• Egg and cheese
• Ham, egg, and cheese
• Bacon, egg, and cheese
• Sausage, egg, and cheese
• Turkey
• Roast beef (owner's favorite)

Cakes

• Triple berry cheesecake
• Chocolate turtle
• Blueberry lemon
• Red velvet
• Assorted chocolates
• Tiramisu
• Cannolis, cream puffs, éclairs, cream horns

Drinks

• Frappuccino
• Cappuccino
• Expresso
• Real fruit smoothies