Judith and Dan Rich spent two years perfecting pretzel dough in their SW Portland kitchen. On April 26, National Pretzel Day, they started selling the results.

D's Knots, the couple's small-batch frozen pretzel brand, offers four varieties: salted, plain, everything seasoning and vegan. Customers buy them frozen and heat them in a toaster oven or standard oven. The Riches operate the business from their home and sell online through a Square storefront.

The name is a double play. "D's" stands for Dan, "knots" for the twisted shape. And yes, the resemblance to a certain viral meme is on purpose.

The business grew out of what owner Dan Rich calls his "pizza DNA." A native New Yorker, he honed his dough skills on an Ooni pizza oven his wife bought him. He tried khachapuri, then garlic knots. When Judith suggested pretzels, he resisted at first. YouTube tutorials, a recipe book from the library and dozens of failed batches later, the freezer was full of pretzels good enough to share.

The Riches moved to Portland 12 years ago after friends relocated here. Dan now works from home while running D's Knots on the side; Judith, who has a marketing background, handles the business strategy. In late 2025, with guidance from local entrepreneurs and chef Thomas Boyce of The Lasagna Project, they wrote a formal business plan and hit their April launch target.

Since opening, D's Knots has popped up at Steeplejack Brewing Co.'s location at 4439 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. The brand also partners with Leikam Brewing on East Burnside, Good Measure in Milwaukie and Besties in Portland. The couple said they prioritize local partnerships over scaling up quickly.

Orders are available at dsknotspdx.square.site.