Psycho Donuts
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{{Infobox restaurant
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| established = {{start date and age|2009}}
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| city = Campbell, California
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| website = {{URL|http://www.psychodonuts.com/}}
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Psycho Donuts is a donut shop in Campbell, California opened in March 2009.{{cite web | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_12168615?source=sphere_article | title=Theme for Campbell doughnut shop stirs controversy | date=April 17, 2009 | work=San Jose Mercury News | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | last=Vongsarath | first=Chris}} The theme of the shop is "craziness"; it specializes in unusual donut flavors and many of its donuts' names are puns on mental illnesses or other mental health conditions, and the store's decorations include a straitjacket and a padded cell.{{cite web|url=http://cbs5.com/food/campbell.psycho.donuts.2.980140.html |date=April 8, 2009 |accessdate=June 1, 2009 |format=video |title='Psycho Donuts' Draws Campbell Customers, Critics |publisher=CBS |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412161823/http://cbs5.com/food/campbell.psycho.donuts.2.980140.html |archivedate=April 12, 2009 }} In 2016, a third location in Santa Clara, California was opened, which along with the second location in Downtown San Jose, has closed. In 2021 A pop up location in the Valley Fair mall was opened and it still currently operating.{{cite web |url=https://www.psychodonuts.com/hours |title=Psycho Donuts—Hours |website=psychodonuts.com |access-date=16 October 2021}}
Description
The shop was opened by Jordan Zweigoron and Kipp Berdianski in March 2009. Berdiansky left the partnership in late July, leaving Zweigoron as the sole owner.{{cite web | work=San Jose Mercury News | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_13013585 | date=August 7, 2009 | accessdate=August 31, 2009 | last=Vongsarath | first=Chris | title=Group marches to protest Campbell's Psycho Donuts}} In 2014, Web Granger (1971–2019) became the owner of Psycho Donuts.{{cite news |title=Webster Wright Granger, 1971–2019 |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercurynews/name/webster-granger-obituary?pid=193678125 |access-date=16 October 2021 |work=San Jose Mercury News}}
Psycho Donuts describes itself as a shop that "has taken donuts to the next demented level" and "has taken the neighborhood donut and put it on medication, and given it shock treatment".{{cite web | url=http://www.psycho-donuts.com/home/#about | title=About Psycho Donuts | publisher=Psycho Donuts | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710012654/http://www.psycho-donuts.com/home/#about | archive-date=July 10, 2009 | url-status=dead }} Its products have unusual toppings such as pretzels and Froot Loops, and many of the donuts' names are puns on mental health conditions—for example, there are donuts called "Bipolar", "Manic Malt", and "Cereal Killer"—although several also have names unrelated to mental illness, such as "Donut Fries", "S'Mores", and "Crispy Critters". Some refer to other serious medical conditions, such as "Massive Head Trauma".{{cite web | url=http://www.psycho-donuts.com/home/#donuts | title=Donuts | publisher=Psycho Donuts | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710012654/http://www.psycho-donuts.com/home/#donuts | archive-date=July 10, 2009 | url-status=dead }} The shop's decor also has a psychiatric institution theme: it includes a straitjacket and padded room, an eating area called "Group Therapy", and the staff wear lab coats or nurse uniforms.{{cite web | url=http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around_town/the_scene/Psycho-Donuts-Not-Funny-for-Everyone.html | publisher=NBC News | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | date=May 12, 2009 | title=Campbell's Psycho Donuts Driving Some Crazy | last=Preiutt | first=Lori}} Zweigoron describes the store's atmosphere as that of a "fun mental institution".{{cite web | url=http://www.allbusiness.com/health-care/health-care-facilities-nursing/12221774-1.html | work=allbusiness.com| last=Vongsarath | first=Chris | date=March 16, 2009 | accessdate=August 19, 2009 | title=Psycho Donuts in Campbell is a wild and crazy place}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
Controversy
The shop has attracted controversy since it was opened in March 2009. Mental health advocates have claimed that the theme of the shop is offensive and perpetuates stereotypes and stigmatization of mentally ill individuals. Organizations including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), California's Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, and Silicon Valley Independent Living Center called on Psycho Donuts in early April to change the store's name and theme, claiming that negative portrayals of people with mental illnesses create "obstacles" for these people in daily life and can have psychological consequences.{{cite web|url=http://www.dmh.ca.gov/mhsoac/docs/Meetings/2009/May/OP-ED_Letter_to_San_Jose_Mercury_4-29-09.pdf |title=OP-ED Piece Psycho Donuts |author=Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission |date=April 29, 2009 |accessdate=June 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514150036/http://www.dmh.ca.gov/MHSOAC/docs/Meetings/2009/May/OP-ED_Letter_to_San_Jose_Mercury_4-29-09.pdf |archivedate=May 14, 2009 |author-link=California Mental Health Services Act#Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission }}{{cite web | url=http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2009/04/ca-ilc-speaks-out-about-psycho-donuts-.html | title=CA ILC Speaks out About Psycho Donuts | last=Triano | first=Sarah | date=April 9, 2009 | publisher=Justice For All blog | accessdate=June 1, 2009}} Brian Miller of NAMI pointed out that few physical illnesses are subject to the stigma that mental illnesses are, and that a "shop that made fun of cancer" would never be accepted.{{cite web | title=Protesters of Campbell's Psycho Donut shop focus on mental health issues in demonstration | work=San Jose Mercury News | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | date=May 11, 2009 | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12345974?source=sphere_article | last=Vongsarath | first=Chris}} Author Pete Earley compared the shop's gimmick to the practice of "mak[ing] gay men and lesbians the butt of jokes, as well as blacks, other minorities, and persons who were callously labeled as 'retards, gimps and cripples'".{{cite news | url=http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/08/column-mental-illness-isnt-a-punch-line.html | title=Mental Illness Isn't a Punchline | last=Earley | first=Pete | authorlink=Pete Earley | date=August 17, 2009 | accessdate=August 31, 2009 | newspaper=USA Today | archive-date=August 20, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820181934/http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/08/column-mental-illness-isnt-a-punch-line.html | url-status=dead }} A city council meeting on April 7, 2009, included discussion on whether or not the shop should be forced to change its theme, and protests were held near the shop throughout April and May.{{cite web | title=Controversy of Campbell doughnut shop ramps up | work=San Jose Mercury News | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | date=May 27, 2009 | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/community/ci_12462788?source=sphere_article | last=Vongsarath | first=Chris}} Another protest was held on August 2.
On the other hand, the store's owners and supporters have argued that the shop's theme has no malicious intentions and that the store is meant to be fun and unusual.{{cite web | url=http://psychodonuts.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-about-little-sense-of-humor.html | work=The Psycho Buzz | date=April 5, 2009 | accessdate=June 1, 2009 | title=How about a little sense of humor?}} The business also intended to use part of its profits to support the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, although the organization did not accept the donation. The store's owners and supporters argued that Psycho Donuts has a First Amendment right (specifically, the right to free speech) to choose the name of their business and products. Finally, some people have argued that mental health advocates should worry about larger issues instead of "going after" such a small business, and that the controversy over the store would cause people to "not take mental health issues seriously".
In May 2009, a workshop on mental health issues was held in Campbell; people attending the workshop credited the Psycho Donut controversy with raising the visibility of mental health issues and prompting the workshop.{{cite web | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_12522088?nclick_check=1 | title=Workshop set up in wake of Psycho Donuts debate focuses on mental health | date=June 4, 2009 | accessdate=July 1, 2009 | work=San Jose Mercury News | last=Vongsarath | first=Chris}}
In late August that year Zweigoron, having become the sole owner of the shop, announced that he would remove the straitjacket and padded cell from the shop's interior, and changed the name of two donuts on the menu, "Bipolar" (changed to "Mood Swing") and "Massive Head Trauma" ("Headbanger").{{cite web | title=Wacky donut shop makes changes amid mental-health outcry | url=http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/08/wacky-donut-shop-tweaks-fare-amid-mentalhealth-outcry-.html | last=Winter | first=Michael | work=USA Today | date=August 20, 2009 | accessdate=September 1, 2009 | archive-date=August 26, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826155816/http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/08/wacky-donut-shop-tweaks-fare-amid-mentalhealth-outcry-.html | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13169891?source=sphere_article | last=Vongsareth | first=Chris | date=August 20, 2009 | accessdate=September 1, 2009 | work=San Jose Mercury News | title=Psycho Donuts owner makes changes in effort to calm controversy}}{{cite web | date=August 23, 2009 | accessdate=September 1, 2009 | last=Fisher | first=Patty | title=Psycho Donuts shows a little sanity | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_13189751?source=sphere_article | work=San Jose Mercury News}}
In June 2013, Psycho Donuts again attracted controversy with the Foie Bomb, a foie gras donut, which it gave away free on National Donut Day because of a California anti-animal cruelty law forbidding the sale of foie gras.{{cite news |last=Lucchesi |first=Paolo |url=http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2013/06/07/foie-gras-doughnuts-at-psycho-donuts-spark-death-threats-doughnut-shop-police-presence/ |title=Foie gras doughnuts at Psycho Donuts spark death threats, doughnut shop police presence |newspaper=Inside Scoop blogs, San Francisco Chronicle |date=June 7, 2013 |accessdate=June 27, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Wadsworth |first=Jennifer |url=http://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/entries/6_11_13_psycho_donuts_foie_gras_controversy/ |title=Psycho Donuts Creates Foie Gras Controversy on 'National Donut Day' |publisher=San Jose Inside |date=June 11, 2013 |accessdate=June 27, 2013 |archive-date=June 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618201255/http://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/entries/6_11_13_psycho_donuts_foie_gras_controversy/ |url-status=dead }} Ron Levi, the head chef, came up with the idea together with Charlie Ayers, former head chef at Google.{{cite news |last=Farnham |first=Alan |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/foie-gras-doughnut-outdoes-dunkins/story?id=19323684#.Ucx5xZyUMxY |title=Foie Gras Doughnut Leaves Dunkin's in Dust |publisher=ABC News |work=Good Morning America |date=June 5, 2013 |accessdate=June 27, 2013 }}
''Donut Showdown''
In 2013, Psycho Donuts' head chef Ron Levi, assisted by Joe Cloutier, won first place in Food Network Canada's Donut Showdown.{{cite news|last=Wadsworth |first=Jennifer |url=http://www.sanjose.com/restaurants/articles/2013/06/26/psycho_donuts_competes_on_food_network |title= Psycho Kills It |newspaper=Metro Silicon Valley |date=June 26, 2013 }}
See also
References
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Category:Doughnut shops in the United States
Category:Mental health organizations based in California
Category:Buildings and structures in Santa Clara County, California
Category:Companies based in Santa Clara County, California
Category:Restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area