SEAL BEACH, Calif. (WSVN) — Loyal customers of a California doughnut shop are buying out the store’s treats by the dozens each morning, all so the owner can close early to be with his sick wife.
John and Stella Chhan have owned Donut City in the southern California city of Seal Beach for almost three decades. The couple worked seven days a week, only closing when their doughnuts were sold out for the day.
But after Stella suffered an aneurysm, her husband has been working by himself as she slowly recovers at a rehabilitation facility.
When his customers found out, several tried to set up a GoFundMe page — but Chhan refused the help.
“He said he has enough money,” customer Dawn Caviola told the Orange County Register. “He just wants to spend more time with his wife.”
That’s when Caviola came up with a different plan.
“Days went by and I just couldn’t get it out of my head,” she said. “So I thought, if enough people would buy a dozen doughnuts every morning, he could close early and go be with his wife.”
She posted her idea online, where it quickly took off.
The shop now sells out of its pastries by noon every day, allowing Chhan to close up shop early and visit his wife, who he says is still weak but gradually regaining strength.
“We are so thankful,” he told the paper.
“We have watched them work extremely hard to keep their doors open and support their family,” customer Marc Loopesko said. “We will always support them, even more so in their time of need.”
[protected-iframe id=”574485ad7a57ae295d8adb1fc4f961cb-110336915-112670968″ info=”//z.cdn.turner.com/cnn/van/resources/2.1/scripts/van-widgets.js” ]
—
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.