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POPULAR DONUT STOREA FORT PIERCE TRADITION

In an age of Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and Krispy Kreme, an 85-year-old Fort Pierce institution is making headway against the national goliaths. Dixie Creme, a modest bakery on Orange Avenue

known for fresh doughnuts cooked on the premises, has expanded to 1364 SW Bayshore Blvd. Port St. Lucie. About 500 people showed up for the opening, with some waiting in a block-long line for as long as two hours. “That was crazy. I thought I was going to die,” recallsSarah Callis, partner and manager of the shop. While she and employees filled orders as fast as they could, customers waited patiently. “It was a wonderful nightmare,” Callis adds. She didn’t expect such a large turnout. Of the thousands of doughnuts prepared, the shelves were down to just the glazed variety in less than three hours. “It was insane for the first two weeks,” Callis says. “We

were very busy.” The holidays slowed things down a bit, but business picked up and regulars continue to show up. “People are coming in and making it their routine, adding something to their early-morning schedule.” Callis has worked at Dixie Cream for 14 years, starting as a cashier and eventually moving up from trainer to manager of the Fort Pierce store before becoming manager in Port St. Lucie. Becky Babcock succeeded her in Fort Pierce. Normally, the Fort Pierce store serves about 160 to 190 people a day. Port St. Lucie picks up more customers on the weekend with about 200 a day, but the Fort Pierce shop remains a bigger draw on a daily basis for two reasons: It is larger, and it has been a landmark at 3210 Orange Ave. for more than 50 years. Dixie Cream Donuts is a Tulsa-based franchise that was founded in 1929. The Fort Pierce Dixie Cream first opened on Delaware Avenue in the 1950s and later moved to the Orange

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ED DRONDOSKI PHOTOS

Local folks have been enjoying Dixie Cream Donuts for decades. Manager Becky Babcock assists customers in the Fort Pierce shop. The owner, Carl Selph Jr., opened a new bakery in Port St. Lucie.

BY JERRY SHAW

Dixie Cream a local landmark since 1950s

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Avenue location. The Fort Pierce shop is situated in a tradi-tional plaza with about 1,800 square feet Dixie Cream tries to maintain its home-like feel in the new store, where there is a similar display case and the same two tables and chairs. Both stores are mainly for take-out orders, Callis says. Some older customers who frequent the Fort Pierce shop re-member coming there as children, Callis says. Many custom-ers stop by before and after church. Jeanette Conlon, deputy city clerk of Fort Pierce, says it has been a favorite spot for Westwood High School students for more than 30 years. The Fort Pierce shop has had several owners throughout its history, older customers remembering the Woods couple operating it for many years. Carl Selph Jr., the current owner, bought the establishment in 1999. Each store has five employees. The new store is find-ing its place with customer volume. “We’re happy with business [at the new location],” Selph says. “There’s a lot of work behind the scenes, things that have to be done, but it’s worth it in the end.” At the Fort Pierce store, teachers and students from nearby schools often come by for an early breakfast. Older customers are a steady customer base, but newcomers are discovering both the stores, Selph says. “It’s kind of passed down from generation to generation with newcomers because of the Internet,” Selph says. Callis pointed out: “A lot of our customers go on TripAdvi-sor and Google and we pop up No. 1.” Some of the comments on review websites include, “Hands down the best donuts I’ve ever had,” “The apple fritter is truly amazing!” and “The hot glazed donuts are the best in the world.” >>Doughnut holes, glazed by Andrea Lopez, satisfy a sweet tooth.

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One customer says she stopped by the Fort Pierce store because of the online reviews. “The people are friendly and the doughnuts are tasty,” she says. Both shops have that “hometown homemade” atmosphere, Callis says. “That plays a big part of it.” With 29 varieties of doughnuts, the apple fritters remain extremely popular. “They take the most time to make,” Callis says. “I make as many as I can. The glazed doughnuts sell out by 10.” Dixie Cream also serves coffee and milk. >>

The apple fritter is truly amazing!

‘‘‘‘— anonymous website reviewer

Apple fritters have long been a favorite at Dixie Cream.

Lopez and other employees keep the doughnuts hot and fresh.

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Callis says she tries to get customers used to placing an order ahead of time if they’re particular about their selections. Since the store specializes in fresh doughnuts, the kinds that people desire might not be there when they want them. “To make doughnuts is a long process,” Callis pointed out, in-cluding the time it takes for the dough to rise and for employees to hand-cut the doughnuts. The jelly has to be cool enough and the doughnuts hot enough. So why is Dixie Cream so popular? “Because we literally make them from scratch right there,” Callis explains. “People like to

Board Allergist/Immunologist/Internist

Fresh glazed cake doughnuts are another popular item. Here, Chris Mullin brings out a tray in Port St. Lucie.

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Cheryl Collins puts some raspberry filling in doughnuts for Port St. Lucie customers.

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know they are getting something fresh, not out of a box or from a truck. “That makes a big difference. You can’t serve somebody old food. They want it to stay hot,” she says. “There is something about the texture ― light and fluffy.” Dixie Cream also manages to compete with the larger Dunkin’ Donuts chain by charging about $2 less per dozen, though single prices are about the same, Callis says. Dixie Cream’s local involvement also attracts business, she says. The company helps with school sponsorships and donations to local groups. The Port St. Lucie hours are from 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Fort Pierce store is open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the early days of Dixie Cream on Orange Avenue, doughnuts were served until they ran out and the shop closed up, Callis says. To keep things in order and ready made, Callis, the mother of four children, begins work at 2 a.m., long before the store opens. She remembers coming in at midnight when she first started out. Callis usually works on the hot glazed doughnuts first thing in the morning. Her husband Jonathon is a baker at the Fort Pierce shop. The new restaurant in Port St. Lucie gets some of its big-gest orders from nearby organizations and workplaces. A hospital will order 150 dozen doughnuts, and churches will ask for 40 or 50 dozen at a time. Callis says it’s the regular customers who determine a store’s success. “When you see people every day, you know they love it,” she says. Lines often stretch outside of the new bakery in Port St. Lucie.

When you see people every day, you know they love it.

‘‘‘‘— Sarah Callis

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What they are saying on Facebook

We asked members of the Facebook page “I Remember Fort Pierce When” to share their memories of Dixie Cream. Here are some of them:

My mom used to stop at Dixie Cream on the way to taking me to school. We would always get a chocolate milk and a frosted chocolate donut for breakfast. Good memories.”

— Denise Christensen When I was a young girl, my favorite mornings were the ones when Mom picked up donuts from Dixie Cream before dropping us off at Lawnwood Elementary. From the moment we parked I could practically taste those soft, melt-in-your-mouth confectionary masterpieces. I loved seeing the fresh donuts come out of the fryer and was mesmerized by the glazing. Di-xie Cream was that rare treat for us that I have missed so much since moving away from Fort Pierce. I’ve worked at two baker-ies in my life, one in Philadelphia, one in North Dakota, and I haven’t found anything that was as delightful as a Dixie Cream glazed donut.”

— Connie M. Allison

I grew up on North 32nd Street right behind Dixie Cream. My sister Joy Paschal Pyke (RIP) and I stopped there on the way to the bus stop almost every morning for a dozen holes and a bottle of Fresca from the drink box. Sweet memories.”

— Donna Hamel

Always remembered it when there was a door connecting it to the Orange Avenue Luncheonette. My dad ate lunch there every day.”

— Christine Turner

After choir practice we would each get a glazed donut and a bottle of Coke. You put the donut around the neck of the bottle and eat around until it wouldn’t stay on anymore.”

— Paula Lewis We grew up on Dixie Cream donuts. My dad would bring them home every Sunday morning. My husband and I carried on that tradition after we were married and raised our daughter on them also. We now live in Georgia, but we make a beeline for those donuts every time we come home. Nothing else compares.”

— Gina Denison

Have been eating them since I moved here from North Caro-lina in 1977. Always thought Krispy Kreme was the best until my mom took me to Dixie Cream. Still go every Friday to get them for the guys at work. I work in Jensen Beach, but it’s well worth the trip and wait.”

— Jamie Sandlin

A special treat indeed. Many a morning on the way to school at St. Anastasia’s we would stop for fresh glazed donuts and a carton of chocolate milk. So good!”

— Ann R. Rise

My grandmother Mary Kirkland lived right behind Dixie Cream. When I was probably 7or 8 we used to go to the back door of Dixie Cream around their closing time and they used to give us all the doughnuts they were going to throw away.”

— Justin Reid

I laugh when people rave about Krispy Kreme donuts. I’m like, “You’ve never had a Dixie Cream?”

— Eileen Kaskeski

There are no words to fully describe Dixie Cream Donuts...just delicious memories. My English cream golden retriever, Dixie, is named after Dixie Cream Donuts.”

— Bonnie Gray

Whoever said sweets were not good for you for breakfast has never tasted Dixie Cream. Far too many times to count we left early to make the stop there just to make sure we got some donuts and cinnamon twists. They would always run out early. Over the years I bought donuts for my girls and their friends and Lord only knows how many of their school friends and teachers. Before the kids were in high school it was our favorite stop. My poor pregnant sister-in-law couldn’t go a day without her donut and chocolate milk. I guess you could say Dixie Cream spoiled a lot of us Fort Pierce residents. They sure did me.”

— Nana Yates Waters My mom worked there in the late 1950s. Mom would bring home donuts. My favorite were the apple fritter, cinnamon rolls and lemon filled. We lived just up the street at the corner of 28th Street and Orange Avenue.”

— Sherry Newman

Back in the day, my parents had to be to be at work at like 5 or 6 in the morning working at the power plant. It was such a treat, when my mother stopped to get us doughnut holes before dropping us off at the sitter. They opened so early, and we always received the first fresh batches.”

— Khaisha Armstrong Black

I grew up on Dixie Cream Donuts. My sister work there in the 1980s. I named my daughter Dixie but not because of Dixie Cream, though everyone thought so. I was in Fort Pierce last June and I had my share of donuts.”

— Påtricia Williams HanesSprinkles and coconut toppings add to the doughnuts’ appeal at the Fort Pierce store.

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