Before the spring of 2009, Bill Springer had never made a doughnut in his life, let alone run a doughnut shop.
Four days before opening Daylight Doughnuts, the Springer family churned out doughnut after doughnut, hoping to perfect the signature pastry.
For the North Alabama native, being an Auburn fan wasn't always easy amidst the predominantly Tide territory.
"My brother thought about Alabama, but Daddy would have ripped his head off," Springer said. "An Auburn family stays an Auburn family."
Springer was raised on the Alabama and Tennessee state line. He grew up working on the family farm and ventured farther south to Auburn University, seeking a degree in agriculture and economics.
Springer is now father to three Auburn graduates, the youngest of which finished last year.
He and his wife, Vickie, have been married 28 years.
"I really don't know how she's put up with me for so long," Springer said.
All members of the Springer family help with the store, including out-of-town in-laws.
Lucy Michael, Springer's mother-in-law, travels from North Alabama to help out with the store. She recently retired from her career as a seamstress.
"I don't do much but ice doughnuts and other odd jobs in the back," Michael said. "It's very different from sewing, but I enjoy working with family."
Before the doughnut business, Springer devoted five years working as a Gideon in the prison ministry, passing out Bibles in the mid-'80s. During this time, Springer said he discovered insight on how to be successful in life.
Springer said he trusts mistakes to lead him to success.
"Mistakes mean you're trying," Springer said. "If we had stayed just a doughnut shop, we would have been shut down in our first year. So we started experimenting on sandwiches and burgers and anything else our customers were interested in ... It's important to me to see returning faces."
True to his word, Springer makes a mess behind the counter remaking a customer's iced mocha as he gives her a helpful tip on making the difficult left turn out of the parking lot. And that's just the way he wants his business to run.
Newly employed Lauren Shepherd of Savannah, Ga., began working at the doughnut shop to try to establish residency in Alabama.
"I really like working here because even though it is a family-run store, I don't feel excluded," Shepherd said. "I've only been here a few weeks, and they really took me under their wing to show me the ropes."
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