Hugely popular KC-area doughnut business opens store. ‘Never get used to it’
What are you willing to brave single-digit temperatures to stand in line for?
For most people, that list is fairly short. But when The Star arrived at Slow Rise’s new brick and mortar just after its opening time, the store was already full, and a line trickled down the sidewalk.
“I hope they’re good,” said one man who stood in the cold and surveyed the line.
Up until now, Slow Rise has been a doughnut business that’s only offered its treats at farmers markets and popup events. It’s grown wildly popular and amassed nearly 30,000 followers on Instagram.
It just recently opened a storefront at 11228 W. 135th St. in Overland Park, serving its fluffy sourdough doughnuts, lightly dusted with sugar and filled with various fruit and cream fillings. Friday was the second day the shop had been open to the public.
Perhaps adding to the hype, the doughnuts are only available in limited quantities. Owner Jessica Dunkel and her husband, Jeff Dunkel, fry and fill each doughnut the same day.
On Friday, Jeff got to the store at midnight to heat up the fryer. It takes an hour to prepare the fryer. From there, it was nonstop frying and filling.
“The more doughnuts you make, the earlier it’s gonna be,” Jessica said.
Before the doughnuts are fried, Jessica rolls them by hand and gives them a few days to rise (hence why they’re called Slow Rise).
Many, like Sandra Szaz, have observed the long lines at events with curiosity. When she saw on Instagram that it was opening down the street from her home, she thought now would be her chance.
But, like always, she arrived to find a long line.
“I try to catch it at (Bella Patina) but I’m always too late,” Jessica said, then added with a laugh, “I’m like, ‘Is it not a traditional doughnut? What is in there?’”
After a few minutes of waiting in the cold, Szaz resolved to try the famous doughnuts another day.
Those who weren’t intimidated by the long line had a chance to taste one of Jessica’s treats. Flavors included guava, pandan coconut, Bavarian cream, original cinnamon and everything bagel.
Jessica sold each of her 1,500 doughnuts — the most she’s ever made — Friday.
“I don’t think I’m gonna do that again,” she said, adding that it took most of the week to prepare.
The massive lines, the prep work — it’s all very overwhelming, Dunkel admitted. The store opened at 7:30 a.m., and people started lining up two hours before that.
“I’ll never get used to it,” she said. “Now the pressure is: How can we make more doughnuts, open more days? People are waiting for us to just be open.”
She hopes that, with time, things will become more efficient. But that means hiring more staff and buying more expensive equipment.
Her husband, Jeff, is an engineer who works during the week. They have just a couple of employees at the moment.
Starting next week, the shop will be open Saturdays at 9 a.m., with occasional days on Fridays and Sundays. Jessica hopes to be open at least three days a week in the springtime.
“We’re doing everything slowly,” she said. “Right now we’re just keeping it simple.”
Some coffee options will be available. On Friday, it was drip coffee and honey oat cold brew latte from Repetition Coffee in Lawrence.
Born and raised in Indonesia, Jessica came to the U.S. for school. She had dreams of becoming a dietician but eventually decided on food science. Her first job brought her to Kansas, and she worked there for 15 years.
When she started experimenting with sourdough, she had no intention of quitting her job to open up a storefront. It was supposed to be a weekend hobby.
And yet, here she is.
“The community helped grow my confidence to open the business, because it’s scary,” she said.
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 6:17 PM.