CENTERVILLE — Marshall Lachman can only describe it as “surreal” that he is now the owner of a Centerville staple his family has visited for decades.
>>PHOTOS: Retired magistrate new owner of Bill’s Donut Shop
Bill’s Donut Shop was founded by Bill and Faye Elam in 1960.
They then sold it to two of their kids Lisa and Jim in 1995, and now they are passing the baton to a new family.
“It’s very bittersweet, very bittersweet. The time has come but it’ll be alright,” Lisa Tucker said.
Starting Friday, Lachman will be retiring from his role as a juvenile court magistrate in Montgomery County and become the new owner of Bill’s Donut Shop — or “chief donut officer” he joked.
“Hanging up the robe, putting on the apron,” Lachman said.
While the buying of the business happened rather quickly, this is something Lachman said he and his wife Amy have been thinking about for a long time.
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New ownership taking over Bill’s Donut Shop in Centerville
“When you get the opportunity to Bill’s Donuts, it’s hard not to take that opportunity,” he said.
He said when Bill’s went up for sale in the summer he had a conversation with the current owners and they accepted his offer.
Don’t worry — Lachman said he isn’t touching Bill’s recipe or the shops 24/7 hours.
“I think the most important thing is the atmosphere of this place won’t change. Obviously, the doughnuts won’t change,” he said.
The parting owners gave him some words of advice.
“It’s a product of love,” Lachman said. “The one thing that Lisa made clear from the beginning is the reason Bill’s has the reputation ir has is because they have never cut corners.”
Lachman said he’s been a fan of Bill’s since he moved here in 1995.
His wife is a longtime Miami Valley Resident.
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