Even During the Coronavirus Crisis, South Sacramento’s Neighborhood Spots Are Thriving - Eater SF
"When a location of the Krispy Kreme mega-chain opened across the street from Bakers Donuts in 2013, it probably didn’t think it needed to worry about the small, family-run doughnut operation. But Krispy Kreme’s current BOGO special is no match for Bakers’ drive-thru line, which can stretch ten cars deep on a Saturday morning even in this time of social distancing. During the coronavirus shutdown, Bakers is making double its usual amount of doughnuts on weekends, and still sometimes sells out well before its 8 p.m. closing time. “I have mixed feelings of being in this new reality,” says Douglas Hem, who co-owns the doughnut shop with his sister Stephanie and their mom Susie. He credits the shop’s ability to adapt to the fact that it already had a drive-thru and had signed up with DoorDash prior to the COVID-19 crisis. Krispy Kreme also has a drive-thru. But what it doesn’t have are Bakers Donuts’ 32,000 hyper-local Instagram followers who will boot and rally for the hometown hero when shit hits the fan. People are also buying dozens of doughnuts to bring to hospitals — a simple act that Hem, who recently finished his last semester of nursing school, knows can help give a boost of energy to first responders. “Right now doughnuts provide a comforting treat that reminds people of normal life,” Hem says." - Illyanna Maisonet
