Dilla’s Delights Donut Shop in Detroit Closes, Owners Seeking New Location

Dilla’s Delights—the Detroit donut shop opened by J Dilla’s uncle Herman Hayes in honor of his late nephew—has permanently closed its sole location, as the Detroit Metro Times notes. Originally opened in 2016, the shop was forced to close for much of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In an IGTV video, Hayes shared that he plans to reopen the shop at a new location. “We don’t quite know which direction we’re going to go in and where we’re going to be, but, you know, we’re working on some things,” he said at one point. “We’re definitely going to keep donuts alive and Dilla’s legacy alive.” Find his message below.

J Dilla’s Donuts, widely considered to be his opus, was released three days before the influential producer’s death in 2006. Later this year, his 2001 solo album Welcome 2 Detroit is being reissued to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Read the feature “Got ’Til It’s Gone: The Legacy of J Dilla.”