Daylight Donuts is expanding its horizon by adding a self-service doughnut shop to Haley Center.
Bill Springer, owner and manager of Daylight Donuts, is anticipating the arrival of the new location.
Right now, the plan is a self-service display case with fresh trays of doughnuts and bags available so that customers can grab a doughnut on the go, he said.
"We feel honored to be able to go in and offer our doughnuts to campus," Springer said. "We will work hard and if it lowers our standards or quality of service any, then we won't continue it."
Daylight Donuts is planning to offer glazed and chocolate-iced doughnuts and possibly doughnut holes by the dozen and other specialty doughnuts, Springer said.
There are 35 different combinations available in the main store, located on College Street, and Springer said there will be some of the specialty doughnuts in the Haley Center location.
Typically, Daylight Donuts are "mom and pop" type stores, without expansion plans.
However, the Valdosta, Gulf Shores and Auburn locations are taking a different approach, Springer said.
"We're the first 24-hour Daylight Donuts, and we are all taking it to a different level and going to a new extreme," Springer said. "A major difference is that we hand-make everything. Some locations have automated equipment that fries the doughnuts, etc., and by doing it by hand, we ensure the quality that we've become known for."
Springer is planning on delivering hot, fresh trays of donuts to the Haley Center every 30 minutes he said.
"By the time they get to Haley, the donuts shouldn't be over 10 minutes old," Springer said. "We make fresh donuts here every hour to an hour and a half. We are constantly making new batches."
Daylight Donuts of Auburn is utilizing social media Web sites like Facebook and Twitter.
They post on their statuses to let customers know when a fresh batch of donuts will be ready.
Daylight Donuts was in Auburn from about the mid 1980s until 1995, when the gentleman that owned the store passed away, Springer said.
"Daylight Donuts did a good job then and the people that ran it left a good impression," he said. "That gave us the opportunity to come back and provide Auburn with the high-quality they associate with our name."
The fresh pastries will be available in Haley Center from early in the morning until late afternoon, Springer said.
"Students' time and schedules are so hectic that it's going to be more convenient to be able to get something to eat on campus," he said. "Especially with all the freshmen that will be required to live on campus, this will give them the opportunity to get fresh pastries."
Students and faculty are already anticipating the on-campus pastries.
Jesse Moreno, a senior in political science, said he thinks Daylight Donuts on campus is overdue.
"Hearing about Daylight Donuts coming to Haley has made my day," Moreno said. "To know that fresh doughnuts will be available before or between my classes is going to be so convenient. I think all of the students will be more than excited about the addition to Haley Center. I can't believe they haven't been there all along."
Springer explained that Auburn faculty is looking forward to Daylight Donuts coming to campus.
"We've got to make sure and do an outstanding job," he said.
Assistant Vice President of Campus Auxiliary Services Bob Rittenbaugh said he is excited about Daylight Donuts coming to campus.
"I'm really pleased," Rittenbaugh said. "They have a great product, and we have had great success with fresh doughnuts in the past. The only problem we ran into was reliable delivery to campus, and I think we can overcome that with a local business like Daylight Donuts."
Springer said the Haley Center location is something that the business is going to test out and potentially expand depending on how it goes.
The College Street location has been open since late April, and Springer said it has met and exceeded all of his expectations for the business.
He explained that although it is a family-owned business, they run it like a corporation with exceptionally high standards of quality.
"Meeting all of the young people and creating a unique and positive environment are my favorite parts about running the business," Springer said. "We want to be an Auburn tradition, and we're building it to be that."
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