Ribbon Snipped at Sarah Donuts

A modern, family owned donut shop marked its grand opening on Jimmy Carter Boulevard this morning, with a pink ribbon cut and balloons released by Norcross and county officials.

And, the shop will be giving customers free coffee with a donut purchase until the end of the year.

The Park family began their donut enterprise in Texas, making 16 stores profitable before selling them and moving to the Atlanta area. They already have shops in Duluth and Suwanee, but the third Norcross store marks their first with a modern, trendy pink-and-white design. They also plan a new menu at the shop at 5860 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, next to the burger shop. 

County Commission Chair Charlotte Nash was on hand to sample the goods and cut the ribbon. “It smells wonderful,” she said as she walked into the shop. “And a family run business, how cool is that?” She joked that she’s just hoping to convince them to open a shop in Lawrenceville, where she spends most of her time.

Norcross Mayor Pro Tem Ross Kaul and Economic Development Manager Rusty Warner were also on hand to show their support. “Give Dunkin’ Donuts a run for their money,” Kaul joked to Michelle Kim, a representatives of Sarah Donuts who said they plan to expand as much as possible in Atlanta.

Cupcakes are more trendy right now, but donuts have been around in America for a long time, said Jong Park, father of the family and head baker for the shop. He started making the star-shaped donuts for kids that have become a part of the shop’s new design and logo—and inspired imitation in some other donut makers, he said.

The shop has both “yeast-raised” glazed donuts and cake donuts, hoping to be the best of both worlds in a crowded donut scene. The unique flavors include red velvet, a customer favorite, and blueberry cake and cinnamon twist. 

Customer Phil Johnson stopped in on his way to his Norcross office. He was a fan of the other shops, so he was excited to see a new one close to his office. “It’s good to bring up the level of camaraderie at the work,” he said as he left with a fresh dozen.