Next time Lucas Hughes is jonesing for a yummy layered doughnut, maybe he won’t have to drive quite so far.

The Evansville, Indiana-based Parlor Doughnuts chain has announced on its website that one of the new sites planned as part of its expansion strategy is a store at 133 Three Springs Road in Bowling Green, formerly home to a Bojangles restaurant.

Sweet news for Hughes, a Woodburn resident who travels a lot in his jobs as a roof inspector and photographer, often seeking out local coffee-and-pastry shops.

“I’m a fan,” Hughes said of Parlor Doughnuts. “The first time I encountered them was probably in 2021 in Evansville.

“I try to hit up small-town coffee shops when I’m traveling. This one (Parlor) is not your standard doughnut. It’s layered, which makes it a little different.”

Sort of a cross between a croissant and a traditional cake doughnut, the layered doughnuts offered by Parlor have proven to be popular and have fueled the company’s explosive growth.

Parlor Doughnuts was founded by Darrick Hayden, in partnership with Josh Tudela, in February of 2019 in a small space in downtown Evansville.

The company didn’t stay small for long, beginning franchising the next year. Today, according to the Parlor Doughnuts website, the company has 10 locations in Indiana as well as more than 30 other stores scattered across a total of 13 states.

A Lexington location is the only Parlor store listed on the website now, but more are on the way. Bowling Green joins Louisville, Florence and Owensboro as cities targeted for future Parlor locations.

“They are growing at a very fast pace,” said Hughes, who expects the brand to catch on locally despite plenty of other doughnut options.

Bowling Green is home to homegrown doughnut shops Great American Donut Shop and Groovy Gus Mini Donuts, chains Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts, and some other local bakeries that have doughnuts among their offerings.

Hughes, for one, doesn’t believe the local doughnut market is saturated. He sees Parlor filling a niche with its layered doughnuts, vegan, gluten-friendly, and keto-friendly products along with artisanal breakfasts and specialty coffees.

“I don’t really see Krispy Kreme or GADS being competition because they do a completely different kind of doughnut,” he said. “I think it (Parlor) will do well.”

The Evansville company has chosen a roomy location for its first foray into Bowling Green. Built in 2016, the vacant structure is a 3,808-square-foot building that Bojangles opted to close last year.

“It’s going to be a good location,” Hughes said. “It’s obviously difficult to get in and out of there, but maybe they’ll find a second access.”

Parlor Doughnuts management did not respond immediately to inquiries about a timetable for opening the Bowling Green store.