WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Cranky Al’s Donuts has been a staple of Wauwatosa’s North Avenue for decades. Started by Susie and Al in 1999, the menu has grown to include coffee and even pizza.
Susie and Al’s nephew Joey Carioti runs the day-to-day now, and says being part of the Wauwatosa community is part of their DNA and what keeps them going.
“You get to see kids come in here and they can barely see over the counter, and fast forward next thing you know they are working for us... I always feel that if we’re not helping out other businesses we’re not going to be successful either” said Carioti.
Customers come daily to pick up thousands of donuts. 5,000 on weekends. But the 1 million donuts they make every year share menu space with pizzas too.
Watch: Made in Wisconsin: Cranky Al's serves up donuts on North Avenue in Wauwatosa
Joey says back in the day his uncle would use the bakery ovens they had to make his own pizzas after Susie complained he was spending too much money on ordering them from a local pizza shop. Carioti says It soon became clear they should sell them.
“People kept coming in, what are you eating? It's my own pizza. Fast forward, people started wanting to buy it.”
To streamline business, pizza sales eventually went frozen. Now Cranky Al’s sells pizzas to bars around Milwaukee, including Camp Bar locations.
Carioti says he would like to grow the business in the future, but right now they focus on collaborating with other local businesses. Every year they make a beer with fellow North Avenue business Venture Brewing, and they collaborate with local bakeries and popsicle maker Pete’s Pops.
Cranky Al’s is located at 6901 North West Avenue in Wauwatosa.
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