Faustine Guzman talks to regular Donuts Plus about the closure with longtime customers Danielle and Scott Deitzel. / Photo NatomasBuzz.com
Donuts Plus owner Steve Hang, of Natomas, flips donuts. / Photo NatomasBuzz.com
BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
Donuts Plus is closing permanently after operating in South Natomas for more than 30 years.
The donuts shop opened by husband-and-wife team Steve and Lisa Hang is yet another local casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They’ve been here for years,” said a tearful Danielle Deitzel, after learning about the closure Friday morning. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Donuts Plus — described by more than one reviewer on Yelp as a “hidden gem” — has been located in the Discovery Plaza shopping center on West El Camino Avenue for the better part of three decades. Warm ham and cheese croissants and apple fritters rank among customers’ favorites.
But a dramatic drop in business, coupled with a lease renewal and higher rent, spelled the end for this family-run business. The donuts shop will close for the last time at the end of business on Sunday, July 26.
A sign on the door reads:
Dear Customers,
With a heavy heart we are announcing the sloing of our business. Our last day of business will be July 26th.
We thank all of you for your continued support over the years! We will miss you all. Stay healthy and stay strong.
Thank you,
Donuts Plus
Faustine Guzman stands in front of her family’s business which has been a South Natomas fixture for more than 30 years. / Photo NatomasBuzz.com
Despite remaining open during the shelter-in-place order, sales at Donuts Plus have dropped by more than half since the pandemic started, according to Faustine Guzman, the Hang’s daughter.
“It’s not bringing in enough money,” said Guzman, who works at the bakery.
Guzman described growing up at the shop with her younger sister Katherine Hang, who also helps out on her days off, to Deitzel and her husband, Scott.
Deitzel said her family has been Donuts Plus regulars for more than 10 years. She recalled talking with Guzman’s mom about watching customers’ kids grow up.
“This place is BOMB! I’ve been going here since I was 4 years old and I’m 26 now,” wrote one Yelp reviewer. “I live in SF now … but when I come home to see my parents, I crave this place because it’s an OG donut shop that’s got the classics.”
Guzman described Donuts Plus as a team effort for her parents which became harder for her dad when her mom passed away a couple of years ago. Now, Guzman said, Hang is ready to move on.
What the future holds for the Natomas family is unknown, but one thing is certain — their donuts shop will be missed.
“A lot of people come in here,” said Deitzel. “To see it go is going to be hard, especially walking by it.”
Faustine Guzman helps a customer on Friday. / Photo NatomasBuzz.com
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