“I said, ‘How much is it going to cost?’” Mingus says. “When he told me, I said, ‘Let’s go for it.’ So, we opened up in Bonifay, Florida. We started there and then it just took off. Now our doughnuts are up and down 30A, in Panama City Beach, and in Bonifay.” Now made daily in Vernon, Florida, thousands of doughnuts are driven each morning to the truck in Alys Beach, as well as to cafés and some popular restaurant and retail outlets. Mingus visits at least one location every day, and through conversations with customers, in addition to sales data, he knows what flavors are most popular. Women, he says, prefer sour cream doughnuts while men most often want the apple bear claws. For children, chocolate-covered doughnuts with sprinkles are a favorite. His glazed doughnuts, he says, weigh 3.5 ounces, more than twice that of a popular national chain, yet because of the handmade process, are fluffy, with air pockets. Naturally A-Glaze-ing The process starts around noon daily, using John’s “old school” recipes. Employees roll, cut, fill, and dip doughnuts until 2 a.m. the following morning, when the delivery rollout begins. The process and the recipes haven’t changed in 16 years. “We make over 15 different types,” Mingus says. “They’re handmade. We don’t use a machine to kick them out. Ours are hand cut and proofed with real yeast. That really separates us. It’s a labor of love, actually. It really is.” That, along with some trade secrets he will not divulge, makes Charlie’s Donuts the best they can be, Mingus adds. “What really separates us from everybody else is that we use quality products,” he says. “Our glaze is handmade. The reason why our product does not last like other products is we use no preservatives. You’re only going to get about 24 hours out of our glazed doughnut.” Luckily for patrons, there is a new batch every 24 hours. In his 16 years at the Alys Beach location, there have been fewer than 10 days the truck has not been open, all closures due to storms. Showing up every day is part of the philosophy of Mingus and Smith, along with staying true to a recipe and a process they believe in. “You can take shortcuts, but John won’t allow it. He will do it his way. John was a drill sergeant, and I was an aviator,” Mingus says, noting that their military training is something they employ to this day. “That’s what’s kept us alive.” The lines of 20 or more patrons most mornings indicate Charlie’s Donuts is definitely alive and well in Alys Beach. In fact, it’s getting a new life next year. The business will be moving to a building nearby and expanding its offerings to include ice cream, candy making, and, as Mingus puts it, “all the frou-frou coffee drinks.” The shop will include both indoor and outdoor seating and a small “donut truck” for children to sit in and have their picture taken. Amid the mostly white Mediterranean style architecture of Alys Beach, the antique truck with no engine and colorful bouncing doughnuts painted on the side has become a staple here. Mingus says his and Smith’s commitment to the business and the community won’t change with the new location. And neither will the recipes. alysbeach.com/merchants/charlies-donuts/
Colette Boehm is a freelance writer and photographer living in coastal Alabama. She provides lifestyle and travel content for various regional publications.
36 DeSoto
