One of Vancouver’s most recognizable local donut brands just confirmed its newest expansion, and it is landing directly across from Langara College.
Lee’s Donuts is opening a new location inside Thesis, an upcoming Alabaster Homes development on West 49th Avenue in Vancouver.
Alabaster Homes announced the news in a joint Instagram post with Lee’s Donuts, calling them one of Vancouver’s most iconic local favourites.
Thesis is a mixed-use, four-storey project on West 49th Avenue, sitting directly across from Langara College and a short walk from the Langara-49th Avenue Canada Line station.
The building combines 68 residential condominiums above a level of retail and office space.
Lee’s Donuts joining the development gives the retail base a recognizable food anchor at one of the busiest student commuter corners in the city.
For context, Lee’s Donuts has been a Granville Island Public Market staple for decades, originally opened by the Lee family and known for its handcrafted, made-fresh-daily donuts.
It is one of the few local brands with the kind of multi-generational following that consistently produces lineups outside the Public Market on weekends.
The brand has been quietly expanding for years, growing from the Granville Island flagship into a multi-store operation across Greater Vancouver.
The brand also recently brought on a new president to lead a multi-year expansion strategy, with growth plans extending well beyond Vancouver.
The Thesis location continues that trajectory and puts Lee’s Donuts firmly inside the Cambie corridor, an area that has been rapidly densifying with new towers, retail, and student-facing services.
For Langara students, this likely means a real donut option directly across the street from campus, in a part of the city that has historically leaned on chain coffee shops more than independent bakeries.
For Oakridge-area locals, it adds another walkable everyday-indulgence option to a neighbourhood that is steadily building out its food and retail layer.
There is no confirmed opening date yet for the Thesis location.
Lee’s Donuts at Thesis joins a growing list of upcoming food spots in Vancouver, including Chaiiwala on Granville, Coasters Coffee on Rupert, and No Ne Kitchen & Bar.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 133 W 49th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z7