A Fort Pierce institution: Donut Circus is closing after 48 years

Editor's note: The story has been updated with the correct cost of a doughnut.

A longtime local landmark doughnut shop is closing after 48 years.

Donut Circus in Fort Pierce will close at 1 p.m. Wednesday, said owner Ernie Sao, adding he's being bought out but doesn't know by whom or what their plans are for the business. TCPalm is awaiting a response from his Realtor.

Sao said he's retiring with health issues and needs to return to Cambodia to see his family because his brother is ill. Competition from a nearby Dunkin' and a Starbucks being built across the street aren't a factor, Sao said.

"I'm going to miss my regular customers real bad," said Sao, who's run the Fort Pierce institution with his cheery wife, Sophie, for 14 years.

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One regular is Bill Lamb, 88, who has been going to Donut Circus since it opened in 1976. On Monday morning, he sat in the front corner booth of the small restaurant, ordered a coconut cream doughnut and sipped coffee from a Styrofoam cup as other customers pulled up to the drive-thru window.

“It’s the only place I drink coffee,” Lamb said. “I’m not a coffee drinker. It’s the only coffee I ever drink.”

Lamb remembered years ago walking to Donut Circus with his son from their home near what is now Indian River State College. He doesn’t go as often as he used to, but he used to eat breakfast there a lot.

The shop serves sausage gravy and biscuits for $3.99, a sausage-bacon-egg-cheese burrito for $3.75 and tater tots for $1.75, plus a variety of sandwiches for lunch.

To this day, a doughnut such as the famous apple fritter is $1.25, a dozen glazed doughnut holes is $2 and a cup of coffee is $1.25.

Lamb said he planned to return to Donut Circus before it closes, to enjoy it while he can.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “The doughnuts were always good — the best. And the coffee. I hate to see it close.”

The landmark has been serving coffee and doughnuts since Robert “Robbie” Small started the business in 1976. In 2007, Small sold the business to Les Limback. In 2010, Limback sold it to Sao.

Throughout its history, Donut Circus has been a place where locals gather every morning — either at the outside tables or inside counter barstools — to gab about the latest news.

Donut Circus

• Address: 2040 S. U.S. 1, Fort Pierce
• Hours: 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily
• Phone: 772-461-8017

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com . Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: A Fort Pierce institution: Donut Circus is closing after 48 years