This is the premiere of the “Working In The City” profile series–The San Diego Sun’s feature Q&A with downtown San Diego business operators. It’s a way to get to know the city by meeting the people who work here.
Company Name: Donut Bar & Bakery.
Address: 401 West A Street (#130) in the 1 Columbia Place building in Little Italy.
Owner/Manager: Founder & chef Santiago Campa.
What we do: Make unique donuts that are larger than life (and your imagination). We offer a wide variety of flavors and creative designs that cater to all ages. We also provide gluten-free desserts, cakes, croissants, Danishes and other baked goods.
Specialty: Our specialty is gourmet donuts, made fresh daily with high-quality ingredients. We have seasonal specials and unique creations that you won’t find anywhere else.
Celebrities sightings: A lot. We respect their privacy, but celebs who have made public remarks include Conan O’Brien, Ryan Seacrest, Steve Harvey and Ludacris.
The Commute: I have lived in San Diego County since the turn of the century (1999). It takes me 20-25 minutes to drive to work from La Jolla. I get to work before most people have even thought about waking up.
In business since: 2013. We initially opened at 631 B Street and recently moved to our new location. The move has been fantastic for us. The area is fresh and clean. (Note: we are not affiliated with any other shops named Donut Bar.)
Family business: Yes. I work closely with my son, Chris Campa, who operates the front-of-house. I concentrate on the back-of-house. Chris holds our FOH accountable to very strict five-star guest standards. I make sure everything I produce in the bakery passes his sniff test.
Employees: 15 full-time employees. I prefer full-time versus part-time so we get the best customer service and product. The staff is dedicated to our business. Most of my employees have been with me for more than eight years.
Staffing up for downtown: It can be challenging due to the high cost of living. We have been fortunate to have more applicants than positions to fill. Our work environment is fun and we have a good track record of paying well and treating staff like family.
Best aspects of working downtown: The vibrant community and the constant flow of people from all walks of life. The energy is infectious and delightful.
Worst aspects of working downtown: Our old location was plagued with unhoused people. Sadly, most who we had unpleasant encounters with appeared to suffer from mental illness, drug abuse, or both.
Homelessness: It can be challenging, particularly with maintaining cleanliness and safety around our storefront. We do our best to support the community and address these issues compassionately.
Company pet/mascot: No, but we love pets and give special treats to all pets that come in.
Regular customers: We have many loyal customers who visit us daily. The number of repeat guests we see is staggering.
Parking issues: We offer complimentary 15-minute parking in our building (1 Columbia Place). There’s plenty of street parking and open parking lots close by.
Funniest downtown work memory: The dad-to-be who came in and said his wife is in extended labor and is screaming for Donut Bar!
Scariest downtown work memory: Dealing with a power outage during a busy morning rush was nerve-wracking, but our team handled it like pros.
Big-event boosts: Comic-Con and Padres games bring in a lot of foot traffic and significantly boost our sales.
On a scale of 1 (easiest) to 10 (hardest), how is working with the city: About a 7. It requires a lot of paperwork and patience, but persistence pays off.
How can the city be more business friendly: Streamlining the permitting process and providing more support for small businesses would be incredibly helpful.
If this business was made into a movie, it would be called: Donut Dreams. It would be a comedy and star Jon Favreau or Will Ferrell.
Favorite downtown business other than yours: I love Carnivore Sandwich deli. They have a fantastic atmosphere and delicious food.
Best insider tip for a downtown business: Build strong relationships with your neighbors and the community. Networking and mutual support go a long way in ensuring success. SDSun
