Grove City Is Bringing Back the Jolly Pirate Sign, One Dozen at a Time

In Grove City, Ohio, a family-owned donut shop is restoring the 50-year-old sign that's greeted late-night regulars since the Gerald Ford administration — and the whole town is pitching in. As reported by 614NOW in early September, Jolly Pirate Donuts, located at 3118 Southwest Blvd in Grove City, is asking for community support to restore its sign, and in return, a few lucky contributors will receive a sweet thank you.

What happened

The sign out front has been faithfully doing its job for half a century, and half a century is a long time for plywood and lettering. The plywood backing behind the lettering had rotted — considered normal wear and tear, and the fix isn't cheap: the shop has received two estimates from certified installers of about $12,200 per side, including permits, to replace the lettering and update aging electrical components, with additional work also needed on the neon roadside sign. In an attempt to repair the sign back to its 1974 state, Jolly Pirate has set up a GoFundMe with a goal of $25,000.

Here's the part that would make a bad day better. To thank those who donate, every $50 donation is entered in a raffle for 20 different prizes including Jolly Pirate merch, baked goods, a chance to create your own donut special, and a grand prize of a dozen free donuts every week for a year. A dozen donuts a week. For a year. There are lottery jackpots with less practical appeal.

Why it matters

Old roadside signs are the handwriting of American towns. They tell you where you are before any welcome sign does. This one has been doing exactly that since the Grove City location opened in 1974, and it can't simply be swapped for something generic: because the signs are grandfathered under current city zoning rules, replacement work must match the existing type and style and be completed by a licensed installer. In other words, when this project is done, the sign will look like the sign — the one people grew up under.

And the shop itself is worth saving the sign for. As the Visit Grove City directory puts it, Jolly Pirate Donuts is a breed of cafe that you simply don't find anymore — and it's open 24 hours, so you can get your donut and coffee fix anytime.

The bigger Ohio picture

Ohio quietly holds onto its glowing roadside history better than most states. Cincinnati is home to the American Sign Museum, whose primary purpose is to share the history, value, and just plain fun of signs and how they reflect trends in design, technology, and commerce — not to mention their impact on the American landscape. A donut shop sign in a Columbus suburb might seem small next to a museum, but it's the same instinct: keep the lights on, keep the letters up, keep the place looking like itself. That instinct is all over our Ohio collection, which exists for people who feel a little surge of pride at an old sign on an old road.

What you can do

Move fast if you want in — per NBC4's report this month, the fundraiser is scheduled to end September 14 at 8 p.m. When 614NOW checked in, Jolly Pirate had raised $2,260 across 54 donations, and for those who cannot donate, the shop asks them to keep supporting the business, as every in-store purchase is one step closer to a new sign. Which means the minimum viable good deed here is: drive to Grove City and buy donuts. Wear your O-H Tee and somebody in line will finish the chant — it's Columbus-adjacent, it's the law of the land.

Common questions

Where is Jolly Pirate Donuts?

Jolly Pirate Donuts is at 3118 Southwest Blvd. in Grove City, Ohio, just outside Columbus, and it's open 24 hours — so there is no wrong time to go.

How old is the sign?

The shop's signage dates back generations — the sign is more than 50 years old, and the location opened in 1974, with the current building signs about 30 years old. The goal is to repair the sign back to its 1974 state.

What do donors get?

Each $50 donation earns an entry into a prize drawing, with a dozen free donuts every week for a year as the top prize; other prizes include a party pack of donuts, a catering pack of donuts and coffee, T-shirts and hats.

Reported by 614NOW. Details as published at the time of writing.