“All my life,” Luz Ramos says when asked if she is a daddy’s girl, a not surprising fact when seeing the name of the specialty donut bar she opened in Edinburg on May 28.

Papy Donuts is named after her papy, Jaime Ramos, a master baker who learned the craft in Mexico.

“I wanted to show appreciation because he actually has a gift,” Ramos said about her father. 

The elder Ramos began learning to bake at 19 in Mexico City. Baking came naturally to him and he began creating his own recipes. Jaime Ramos would move to the United States and settled in Elsa. Here, he and his wife raised 11 children in the Rio Grande Valley community.

Luz was a middle child among the group. Over the years, Jaime moved from bakery to bakery to support his family. His wish was to one day open his own business. Jaime’s daughter has taken up that mantle as Luz and her husband, Frank, took a huge risk in investing their life savings to open their own bakery. 

And when she did, Luz had her father working with her, the master baker back at work.

She focused on the concept of operating a specialty donut shop among the multitude of bakeries in the Valley. Luz flew to Las Vegas and set out on a “donut tour,” exploring the world of specialty donuts. She would see the whimsy of “face donuts,” which are based on characters or feature crazy eyes and other facial features.

Luz Ramos would incorporate her own style of whimsy into her Papy donut, as well as her Cookie Monster, Elmo and Twinkie donuts, along with other creations. Ramos learned about the popularity of double-filled donuts and how to use exotic fruits and flavors like kiwi and orange cream. She discovered Ube donuts that are made with purple yams and are a Filipino favorite. Ramos is perfecting her own Ube donut.

Making The Dream Real

Opening a business is not for the impatient or the weak, Ramos said. 

There are long lists of tasks to complete daily from looking into machines on back order, grease trap requirements, and the assorted permits needed to meet local and state regulations. 

“Forget the money. It was the pressure, the sleepless nights, the worry about whether people would like the concept,” Ramos said.

Many of her donut concepts revolve around children. Her young customers inspired the idea of having a “donut bar,” with customers unaware of which of her roughly 100 specialty donuts will be on the menu until that morning.

“It’s a surprise every time you come in,” Ramos said. 

Customers have learned they can get a sneak peek at what to expect by visiting the Papy Donuts Instagram page. Store favorites include the Ferrero Rocher, maple bacon bars, Fruity Pebbles and cinnamon twists, the only “not-a-surprise” items on the daily menu. 

Seeing Growth

Luz Ramos’ creations have seen her store’s sales more than double.

Papy Donuts lists its hours from Tuesday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but when the donuts sell out, the shop closes early. Ramos takes extra donuts at day’s end, when she has them, to the local children’s hospital, police departments and to local businesses for employees to sample.

Customers will feign guilt over the irresistible indulgence of a Papy specialty donut. She advises balance, a word she lives every day.

“I get up at 4 every morning,’’ she said. “I bring my 4-year-old son with me and he sleeps until I take him to school.” 

She begins creating that day’s donut bar menu. She takes the donut base her dad creates and adds her wide range of flavors and colors with fruits, candies, cookies and whatever else inspires her. Ramos also creates breakfast donuts, with combinations of turkey, eggs and sausage. Drinks are also available and include taro coffee and Mexican favorites like horchata and agua de fresa. 

Ramos’ first name means “light” in English. Her wisdom and charm reflect that quality at just 25 years of age. Her work ethic belies the fact that Luz Ramos is just 25 years old. There’s the added joy of having her beloved papy by her side. 

“He’s doing what he loves,” she said, her smile and her eyes adding the exclamation mark.