What to know
- Quebec-born donut chain Homies Canada is opening its first east-end Toronto location in Scarborough on April 24, with a grand opening featuring DJs, entertainment and a family-friendly vibe.
- The viral shop is known for oversized, fresh-made donuts (up to 30 flavours like maple bacon and “cookie monster”) — selling out early and producing 10,500 donuts at its peak in a single day.
- Founder Terry Axiotis says the brand is focused on affordability and rapid expansion, with the Scarborough shop marking its 15th location and a goal of reaching 100 stores in the next five years.
Donut miss out — one of Quebec’s most popular donut chains is opening a location in Scarborough this month.
On April 24, Homies Canada, known as Homers Donuts in Montreal is having its grand opening in Scarborough at 4545 Kingston Rd. Donut lovers can expect animation, DJs and a family-friendly atmosphere for the opening weekend.
The shop has a multitude of flavour profiles from the cookie monster to KitKat. Founder of the donut shop, Terry Axiotis’ favourites are either the regular glazed donut or the maple bacon. He explained there’s over 30 different flavours, meaning options for everyone.
The donuts are made fresh daily and throughout the day, so people can even see production with their own eyes. Axiotis added that he priced the items at an affordable standpoint with great quantity to make a good dessert accessible to everyone.
“Our donuts are almost four and a half inches in diameter, and they’re, let’s say, two times the size of Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme,” Axiotis told Now Toronto.
Customers came rushing in when Axiotis first opened in Montreal in the spring of 2024. Axiotis explained there was a lack in the market there, and business was booming.
“Once we saw we had something good in our hands, we were lacking some space, so we opened a second store to help us, but it created even more of a viral effect. So we decided to franchise it moving forward,” he said.
The store gained so much popularity, they were often selling out by 5 p.m. daily, which prompted him to purchase a second fryer. The biggest he’s maxed out to is 10,500 donuts in a day. On weekends, he sells around 5,000 to 8,000 donuts, and Monday to Thursday about 2,000 donuts.
“If you’re well equipped and you have good stuff, the sky’s the limit,” Axiotis said.
Now, he’s opening his fifteenth location in Scarborough. It’s currently in construction, but there’s eight trained staff members ready to help ensure the opening runs smoothly.
And if you’re looking for a job, Axiotis invites you to apply. He’s looking for someone working the front to be joyful with a smile and good energy. If you’re interested in working the back, be ready for physical work like rolling, making and frying the dough.
You need decent availability, but be ready to work early hours because production starts at 3 a.m.
For customers however, the store’s hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Sunday.
Axiotis hopes Torontonians visit the store and share with their family and friends, cutting the donuts in half or four pieces to each live the sweet experience.
To him, he wishes success upon himself, his business, but most importantly – his franchisees. “I don’t have an expensive lifestyle… Now, success is making sure my franchisees are successful. I don’t want to hurt any family that believes in the business… They’re not drowning in debt, they’re making money. It’s good for the brand, it’s good for me.”
He added, “We don’t need much, we come from humble beginnings.”
He aims to open 100 stores over the next five years, so everyone from every town can experience this sweet treat.
