{"id":267581,"date":"2026-04-14T17:11:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T17:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/267581\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T17:11:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T17:11:16","slug":"why-fresnos-lodei-bakery-isnt-worried-about-randys-donuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/267581\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Fresno\u2019s Lod\u00e9i Bakery isn\u2019t worried about Randy\u2019s Donuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fresnans have been antsy for Randy\u2019s Donuts<\/a> to open at the corner of Palm and Bullard avenues ever since news broke that it was coming 2.5 years ago<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s another bakery right next door that thousands of people drive past daily without realizing it\u2019s there. And it couldn\u2019t be more different than the famous Southern California-based donut shop.<\/p>\n

Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe<\/a> is a little lunch and dessert spot owned by an Armenian family. Open less than a year, it\u2019s tucked away in a corner behind the car wash, right next to the Omnia Event Venue.<\/p>\n

The bakery is run by the Keymetlyan family \u2014 mom, dad and their three children in their teens and 20s. Lod\u00e9i (pronounced \u201cLo-DAY\u201d) is named after a village in Latvia where Asatur Keymetlyan was born when his father was working there.<\/p>\n

The family of immigrants from Armenia serves some favorites from their homeland. Such as the pirozhki (fried dough filled with ground beef, potato or cheese) that is served hot at 11 a.m. daily. And Armenian coffee isn\u2019t on the menu, but they\u2019ll serve it to you if you ask.<\/p>\n

But mostly there is an array of elaborate pastries: eclairs, cakes, colorful macarons and other desserts, along with sandwiches.<\/p>\n

Lod\u00e9i vs. Randy\u2019s? \"Lodei Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe has been trying to bring more business to their location on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues with signs and even an inflatable tube man. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Lod\u00e9i is literally in the shadow of Randy\u2019s Donuts.<\/p>\n

Randy\u2019s is famous for its giant donut sign atop its locations and appearing in numerous movies and TV shows, such as \u201cIron Man 2.\u201d It has about 50 locations worldwide and people lined up in the dark for its Clovis opening.<\/a><\/p>\n

Randy\u2019s has two locations open in the area \u2014 one on Shaw Avenue in Clovis and another on Shaw across from Fresno State \u2014 but a representative said it doesn\u2019t have any update on when it will open at Palm and Bullard avenues.<\/p>\n

While it might seem like such a heavy hitter opening next door would be a business killer for a little, family-run bakery, Lod\u00e9i\u2019s owners say they aren\u2019t worried.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not bothered by it at all,\u201d said Arpi Keymetlyan, 17, a senior at Clovis North High School and daughter of the owners.<\/p>\n

In fact, they wish Randy\u2019s would hurry up and open. And not just because Arpi wants to try their donuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one knows about us,\u201d said her mom, Piruza Keymetlyan.<\/p>\n

Lod\u00e9i is tucked into a back corner, hidden from the street by the car wash and overshadowed by the way the Omnia Event Venue juts out into the parking lot.<\/p>\n

That part of the parking lot doesn\u2019t get a lot of foot traffic, said Arpi, and she\u2019s hopeful that people coming to Randy\u2019s will discover them as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s different things,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have their thing. We have ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s on the menu? \"Macarons Macarons are prepared in the kitchen at Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Lod\u00e9i has salads and sandwiches served on bread or croissants. The family plans to start selling Mediterranean lunchtime to-go boxes soon.<\/p>\n

And there are all kinds of coffee drinks, from cold brew to espresso and matcha lattes.<\/p>\n

But the desserts are what catches the eye here.<\/p>\n

There are delicate macarons \u2014 the French sandwich cookies \u2014 in the shape of Easter eggs or hearts on Valentine\u2019s Day. A popular seller is the multi-layered honey cake, which tastes like a fairy godmother turned honey graham crackers into a sophisticated dessert. And there are numerous creative eclairs, including a pistachio-raspberry version with a pale green frosting.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all made by Piruza, the matriarch of the family, and her assistants.<\/p>\n

You can get the food to go, or sit in the dining room, which is something of a quiet, seafoam green-painted oasis.<\/p>\n

But this is hardly a David and Goliath story.<\/p>\n

The Keymetlyans also co-own the Omnia Event Venue<\/a> next door. The business \u2014 in the former Tang Yuan Chinese seafood spot \u2014 is co-owned with Sarkis Semirdjian. It was inspired by the big Armenian family\u2019s need for a spot for wedding receptions, birthdays and other family or business events. It seats up to 400.<\/p>\n

The bakery and the event venue share a huge kitchen, and Piruza does the cooking for both.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s camera shy (so is the rest of the family, except for the social media savvy Arpi) but she\u2019s got the cooking chops to run the food side of both businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery ounce of food that you\u2019ll get from the venue, she makes herself,\u201d said her daughter. \u201cIt\u2019s not as much of a job, it\u2019s a hobby because she loves it so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Various Various treats and baked goods, including ones made to look like giant raspberries, are displayed in the cabinet Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Her mom didn\u2019t go to culinary school, but took all sorts of classes in Armenia, including one carving class on \u201chow to make an apple look like a giraffe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Piruza loved to cook and bake so much that her husband surprised her by building her a lahmajoun shop. It sold the flatbread topped with ground beef sometimes called Armenian pizza.<\/p>\n

The family came to the U.S. nine years ago for a better life.<\/p>\n

That included a top education for son Hakob, 25, who went to Rutgers University and is now a data analyst. (\u201dMy brother\u2019s kinda like a walking genius,\u201d said Arpi.)<\/p>\n

Each member of the family has a hand in the bakery. Dad Asatur, who is in construction, designed and built out the interior of the event center himself. He handles the business side of things for both enterprises.<\/p>\n

Hakob helped launch the cake-selling business that evolved into the bakery when they first started. Sister Mari, 20, a student at Clovis Community College about to transfer to UC Davis, handles a lot of the social media. And Arpi talks to the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all help out whenever we can,\u201d Arpi said.<\/p>\n

Details: Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe is at 770 W. Bullard Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.<\/p>\n

\"Arpi Arpi Keymetlyan helps a customer at Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com \"Various Various treats and baked goods are displayed in the cabinet Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com \"Arpi Arpi Keymetlyan holds up a trio of pistachio eclairs while standing in front of a case of various treats and baked goods at Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com \"A A cup of espresso is served at Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com \"A A fruit tart is displayed with various treats and baked goods in the cabinet at Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com \"Randy's Randy’s Donuts plans to open a location just down from locally owned Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues in Fresno. The owners aren’t concerned though. They think it might even bring them more business. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com \"Macarons Macarons are prepared in the kitchen at Lod\u00e9i Bakery & Cafe, an Armenian family-owned bakery on the northeast corner of Palm and Bullard avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Bethany Clough<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Bethany Clough covers restaurants and retail for The Fresno Bee. A reporter for more than 20 years, she now works to answer readers\u2019 questions about business openings, closings and other business news. She has a degree in journalism from Syracuse University and her last name is pronounced Cluff.\n <\/p>\n