Little can match the satisfaction of starting the morning off with a steaming cup of coffee and a hot, freshly crafted doughnut. Next, imagine the first time tasting that delicious, warm doughnut is absolutely free. (Now we have your attention!) And as long as Fractured Prune’s new owner Michael Albarado has his way, that satisfaction is exactly what everyone will experience when they stop into his shop in Millville.
Coastal Point • RYAN SAXTON
Michael Albarado, owner of Millville’s Fractured Prune, displays some freshly made doughnuts at the Millville Town Center location.
It might not even be one month since Albarado stepped in as the new owner of the Fractured Prune in the Millville Town Center, but he’s had his hands in the batter for years, when he helped give a start to one of the local franchise’s locations, on 28th Street in Ocean City.
“We’re completely different than any other doughnut shop,” he insisted this week, showing pride of that new ownership. He and his wife, Carrie, have run the 28th Street Fractured Prune for years, hand-dipping and topping doughnuts for thousands of people. Now, they have a second store from which they can share their passion for the palatable pastries.
So, what sets the Fractured Prune aside from other doughnut joints? Perhaps it’s the welcoming treatment that’s offered to new customers. Every newcomer gets a starting sample of the O.C. Sand, the Prune’s most popular doughnut, fresh from the line. If that doesn’t get customers wanting more, then the variety of flavors available is sure to reel them in, or at least provoke some curiosity.
“You can put any topping you can think of on any glazed doughnut,” Albarado said.
And the glazes at Fractured Prune aren’t your run-of-the-mill glazes. Sure, customers can start with the traditional, sugary honey or chocolate glaze, but why stop there when they are available in such a variety of sweet flavors, such as maple, caramel, peanut butter, mint, or fruit-flavored ones, such as blueberry, cherry, banana, lemon and orange? Toppings run the gamut, too, with countless possibilities, like coconut, graham crackers, sprinkles, peanuts and mini chocolate chips.
The Prune has even developed a menu if customers feel they lack the creativity to devise a mouthwatering combination of their own, first thing in the morning. They can try favorite candy flavors in doughnut form, like the Reese Cup or the Rolo. Some may wish to wake up with a “Morning Buzz,” which includes mocha glaze and is topped with Oreo cookie crumbs.
Others may head to “Pebble Beach” or pick up a “Myrna Medley” or a “Trail Mix.” Even the warm, conservative “Plain Jane” style is enough to get morning mouths drooling for these irresistible day-starters. And if customers can’t think on their toes quickly enough to spout off a dozen doughnuts for a variety box, Mike can fix them up with an original, delicious lineup.
“It’s all a lot of fun,” he added. “The possibilities are endless, and there are some pretty creative people who still order some things that I’ve never even thought of. We can do whatever they like, and I let them.”
The Washington Post has even awarded Fractured Prune the title of Best Local Snack in their annual “Best of the Beach” article, beating out Thrasher’s Fries and Fisher’s Popcorn.
A lot of customers keep returning because of the Prune’s sheer freshness. How many shops can someone go to and watch “their” doughnut be made in the machine, come off the line and straight into a box, still hot to the touch?
“Other doughnut sellers operate differently than we do,” Albarado explained. “If you go in and you want chocolate or rainbow-colored sprinkles and they’re out of them, then they’re out of them. Most places don’t even make their doughnuts in the store anymore. They’re usually shipped in. We’re never out of anything. It’s all made to order.”
The doughnut machine measures out each individual ring of batter from the hopper, cooks them in 100 percent cholesterol-free oil, and flips them to finish off before they’re topped. It can spit out 48 dozen every hour, and in summertime, Albarado expects he’ll be firing up a second machine to keep customers happy.
Albarado said he pleased with the new location, as he is able to see a steadier crowd than the winter months allow in Ocean City, Md., the franchise’s birthplace.
“In the summertime,” he said, “[the Ocean City shop] has a line out the door, and no matter what the order, customers are heading to the beach, office or back home in under 10 minutes. Here, it’s great because we’re still seeing more and more customers come in, even when it’s colder.”
Other locations, such as the one along Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach are forced to take a brief hiatus in the wintertime due to limited customers. But, overall, Albarado said he’s been thoroughly impressed with the business the Fractured Prune has managed to accumulate, increasing in sales by 35 percent last year alone.
Fractured Prune originally got its start more than three decades ago. But, the business did not franchise until 2002. Now, there are locations throughout Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, as well as in D.C., Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Ohio – 34 to date.
“It’s gained a lot of notoriety,” Albarado said. “It’s fast-growing because it’s so simple. There’s not a whole lot to it. The main thing is just keep your customers happy.”
And he’s doing just that. From the complimentary O.C. Sand to the newbies to the soothing sounds of satellite radio that he installed, to the assortment of merchandise customers can browse through, Millville’s Fractured Prune is becoming more and more of a hot spot. Customers can pick up anything from coffee mugs, koozies and T-shirts to flying discs and dog bowls, all in signature Fractured Prune style.
“We’re looking to give this place some character,” Albarado said. “I’m always trying to find ways to make it better.”
In addition to their fresh brew of Seattle’s Finest gourmet coffee and, of course, the doughnuts, Fractured Prune offers breakfast sandwiches, too.
Albarado said he came into the doughnut biz with no regrets after working in big retail.
“I used to work long hours, and it was a stressful situation,” he said. “Now, I’m my own boss. A lot of people don’t enjoy going to the supermarkets. It’s more of a chore. Prices get high; people are on a busy schedule. People come here when they want to come here, so they’re almost always in a good mood, and that makes my job a lot easier. It’s a nice change of pace.”
The Fractured Prune is located in the Millville Town Center shopping center, open in the morning, seven days a week. For more information, stop in or call at (302) 537-7303.