A popular doughnut franchise is opening its first Wisconsin store on Saturday in Madison

After this weekend, Wisconsin's capital city will no longer be void of doughnut breakfast sandwiches and ice cream-topped doughnut sundaes.

Duck Donuts ― the North Carolina-based doughnut shop franchise known for these and other unique menu offerings like build-your-own doughnuts ― is opening its first Wisconsin store near the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Saturday. The much-anticipated shop will be at 3308 University Ave., on the first floor of The Boulevard Apartments.

Doors open on Aug. 17 at 6 a.m., and the first guest in line will receive a dozen free donuts per month for a year, the company said. The next 50 guests will get a "Sprinkling Happiness Package" ― two dozen donuts and a bucket of coffee, redeemable at a future visit.

Duck Donuts first announced last summer that partners signed on for the Madison store. The new shop is locally owned and operated by Mark and Amanda Kienbaum, and Dave Crain.

"My family's first experience with Duck Donuts was during a vacation in Myrtle Beach in August of 2022 while looking for a tasty breakfast treat for my daughters. Since then, we set our sights on bringing these warm, delicious and made-to-order donuts to Madison," Mark Kienbaum said in a statement.

Duck Donuts started in North Carolina's Outer Banks in 2007. Today, it has over 150 shops across 25 states and international locations in Thailand, Canada, Qatar, Pakistan, the Philippines and Egypt. There are currently four locations in the Chicagoland area, with the nearest to Milwaukee being just under an hour away in Libertyville, Ill.

The franchise's eccentric menu items include the peanut butter and raspberry jelly doughnut; the Chocolate Caramel Crunch doughnut with chocolate icing, peanuts and salted caramel drizzle, and a doughnut with maple icing and chopped bacon. Duck Donuts is also known for its doughnut breakfast sandwiches ― which feature bacon, egg and cheese between two plain doughnuts ― and doughnut sundaes: warm pastries topped with a scoop of ice cream.

Customers can also customize their own made-to-order doughnuts, choosing from a wide selection of icings, coatings, toppings and drizzles.

Duck Donuts Madison is partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin through its Quack Gives Back donation program, which partners with local community groups, nonprofits and teams for fundraising events. Guests can support the cause by donating at the register or purchasing a special-edition Wish Rubber Duck.

The Madison doughnut shop will serve made-to-order doughnuts seven days a week. Business hours are Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. More information and updates ― including specials and doughnut topping updates ― can be found on the Duck Donuts Madison Facebook page or website.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Duck Donuts to open first Wisconsin store in Madison on Aug. 17, 2024