Dara Rin serves a customer at The Donut Palace “Where the Customer is Still King!”
As you drive down Adams Street early in the morning, you will be greeted with a delightful aroma, that tantalizes your taste buds. Pinning down where that aroma is coming from, you note a large sign that says “GRAND OPENING” hanging from the old gas pumps of the blue building previously known as the Discount Store and Shamrock even earlier. And another sign on the window advertises The Donut Palace.
Upon entering the building, the customer is struck by the sparkling interior with three tables awaiting the customer to sit and enjoy the specially brewed coffee along with a huge display of mouthwatering “yummies”: donuts of all flavor and kinds; cinnamon rolls, twists, apple fritters, croissants, ‘pigs in a blanket’ and even breakfast tacos! No one who opens that door can leave hungry, unless they’re taking a sack to go home.
The owner of this shop is Ritha Bunurai, who also owns three other shops: two in Port Lavaca and one in Palacios. Mr. Bunurai greets the incoming shopper with a huge smile that also is reflected in his shining brown eyes. He has been in business with his wife, Kim since 1996 when they moved from Houston to Port Lavaca to open the first store.
Both he and his wife are from Cambodia, and he traveled to the United States in 1988 when he arrived in Long Beach, California. Learning English he then enrolled in Long Beach College to study Mechanics as well as the English Language, and then followed his wife-to-be to Houston, Texas, where he learned the proper preparation of donuts and other breakfast treats. Kim, his wife, put her color sense and decorating skills to work in the shop with the painted walls of white and the colorful cloths on the tables. Their children, a son in college in San Antonio, and their daughter in high school in Port Lavaca make up the remainder of this amazing family.
If you miss seeing Ritha in the shop, you will undoubtedly make the acquaintance of Dara Rin, his helper, also originally from war-torn Cambodia. Leaving Cambodia in 2000, Dara moved to San Jose to be with his family who had earlier immigrated from that country; and now he is a resident of our area. And Dara will very proudly tell you that he became a Citizen of our country in 2006, as are both Ritha and his wife.
Day begins at an early 2:00 a.m. when both Dara and Ritha arrive to start preparation of the donuts and other items prior to opening at 4:00 a.m. All food is prepared fresh daily, and all are reasonably priced. But, even better, everything is served with a huge smile, and the question, “Is there anything else I can get you?” And don’t miss the writing on the menu of The Donut Palace: Where the Customer is still King!
Ritha’s credo is honesty in business, and he equates his business with friends he wishes to serve, and he serves from the heart. What a principle to live by.
