A new, wacky-named doughnut shop straight from the East Coast is making heads turn.
The Fractured Prune, located at 1091 N. Bluff St., is serving unique, customizable doughnuts that come straight off the conveyor belt fresh and warm, ready to be dipped to the customer’s liking.
The doughnut shop was founded nearly 30 years ago in Maryland. The nine-store chain has establishments along the East Coast in places like Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Fractured Prune got its unique name from a woman named Prunella Shriek. She was in her 70s and competed in men’s sports in the 1800s. She was injured often, earning the nickname “Fractured Prunella.” St. George is the first city near the West Coast to have a franchise.
Woody and Karan Taylor of St. George opened The Fractured Prune Sept. 24. Their son, Derek Taylor, is one of the managers, and he inspired his family to bring the doughnut shop to their hometown.
“I worked out in Pennsylvania,” Derek Taylor said. “I wanted to move home, and I thought it would do so well here.”
Although his family has never worked in the food industry, Derek Taylor said his idea has helped them remain close.
“We traveled a lot,” Derek Taylor said. “We all wanted to be home together.”
The doughnuts, priced individually at $1.69, can be ordered in 15 different glazes and 13 topping choices. Some of The Fractured Prune’s hand-dipped specialties include Strawberry Shortcake, Black Forest, Orangesicle, Peppermint Patty and French Toast.
Derek Taylor recommends the Pumpkin Spice and French Toast doughnuts. He also created his own, called “Derek’s Delight,” which is the French Toast flavor with chocolate chips.
I debated which doughnut to order for quite some time, but I ultimately decided on the French Toast and the Chocolate Covered Cherry.
The French Toast has a maple glaze and cinnamon sugar topping, making it crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside, which is the perfect combination.
While the Chocolate Covered Cherry had a great flavor, the mini chocolate chips on top made the texture off-putting. The chips were hard and didn’t jive with the doughnut well. Perhaps if the doughnut itself were warmer, the chips would have melted. However, the cherry glaze was tasty, which surprised me because I normally don’t like fruit-flavored baked goods.
Other specialties that sounded interesting were the Morning Buzz—a mocha glaze dipped in Oreo crumbs—and the Banana Cream Pie—banana glaze dipped in vanilla wafers and cinnamon sugar. If these don’t sound appealing, don’t worry; you can always create your own.
“I always tell people there’s a free doughnut hole with every doughnut,” Derek Taylor said.
Derek Taylor said most people order more than one doughnut, and nothing complements a doughnut better than some hot coffee.
If you’re not the biggest coffee fan, The Fractured Prune offers juice, fountain drinks and energy drinks. Derek Taylor said customers can also ask for added flavor shots to fountain drinks.
Although the shop has a drive-thru option, the atmosphere inside is brightly-colored and loud music leaves an energized feeling. The décor is sub-par, but some decals on the wall give customers something to look at while enjoying their hand-crafted masterpiece.
The Taylor family is hoping to open more stores across the west side of the nation. Their next shop will either be opening on the other side of town, Provo, Sugar House or downtown Salt Lake City. Their goal is to have 12 across the state.
The Fractured Prune is open Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. Derek Taylor recommends bringing a date to the doughnut shop for the convenient pricing.
“Cupcakes are like $4,” Derek Taylor said. “Bring a girl here on a date; it’s way cheaper than a cupcake.”
