Published: Monday, November 26, 2007
A doughnut shop's mission: Help military families in need
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Visitors to the doughnut shop can take in John McCall's extensive NASCAR car collection.
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Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
John and Dee McCall run Riverside Donuts & Deli as a nonprofit to benefit military families.
EVERETT -- John and Dee McCall could be traveling in a motor home, watching Nascar races around the country.
That and other retirement plans will wait for now, as the McCalls instead decided to open a small business with a cause.
Riverside Donuts & Deli opened in October in the College Plaza strip mall in north Everett. The shop features locally baked and daily- delivered fresh doughnuts, packaged muffins and sandwiches, along with fountain drinks and other snack fare. There's also free Wi-Fi access.
But most doughnut shops don't offer the added benefit that a portion of what you pay could help a military family someday.
The McCalls' modest shop is registered as a nonprofit business, with proceeds -- when there are some -- destined for the Chaplain's Fund, which assists military families in crisis.
"We saw that the need was there, and the money had to come from somewhere," said John McCall. He and his wife are both retired from the military.
Dee McCall also is a retired Teamster who helped to run a warehouse at Naval Station Everett. John McCall has a day job as a truck driver.
They admit the doughnut shop and deli is "nothing we ever thought of doing 10 years ago." But after seeing the need to help military families, they got a lease on favorable terms with Providence Everett Medical Center, which owns the commercial property. The McCalls also got deals from other suppliers interested in supporting their mission.
They navigated the needed permits and the ins and outs of registering as a nonprofit themselves. That part of the experience, John McCall said, is one thing he has no desire to repeat.
Since opening, however, the McCalls said they have met many veterans and relatives of military members, and they're seeing customer numbers grow.
"We just want people to try us just once," John McCall said.
Dee McCall said she already has some regulars who stop in most days. Among those are employees of neighboring shops and offices.
"The doughnuts are good. I come here for snacks all the time," said Mary Jo Lozano, who works next door in the American Insure-All office.
In addition to the baked goodies, deli items and snacks, the display cases at Riverside Donuts & Deli show off some of John McCall's Nascar collectables. A photo of John McCall's father taken during his service in World War II also is on display.
So far, the business is still trying to pay for itself. And the McCalls say they have no idea how much they might generate for the Chaplain's Fund. As a federally registered nonprofit, they're allowed to cover expenses, wages and taxes. So far, the costs have all come out of the McCalls' pockets.
The business already has some beneficiaries, however. Doughnuts and other perishables left over at the end of each day are being donated to local women's shelter, the Everett Gospel Mission and the Marysville Food Bank.
The McCalls, who both grew up locally, said they're enjoying their new enterprise.
"After retiring from our careers, we were too young to give up and do nothing," John McCall said.
Dee McCall, who usually runs the shop during the day, said she's enjoyed meeting customers. Then there are the doughnuts, which by all accounts are good. John prefers the lemon-filled, while Dee's favorite are the sugar twists.
But the best part will come when the new shop is generating money the McCalls can donate to the military families, both said. They're already getting a taste of how that will feel through their daily food donations, John McCall said.
"You see the look on people's faces when you donate food," he said. "And I can't wait to see the military chaplain's face when we write him a check."
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com
That and other retirement plans will wait for now, as the McCalls instead decided to open a small business with a cause.
Riverside Donuts & Deli opened in October in the College Plaza strip mall in north Everett. The shop features locally baked and daily- delivered fresh doughnuts, packaged muffins and sandwiches, along with fountain drinks and other snack fare. There's also free Wi-Fi access.
But most doughnut shops don't offer the added benefit that a portion of what you pay could help a military family someday.
The McCalls' modest shop is registered as a nonprofit business, with proceeds -- when there are some -- destined for the Chaplain's Fund, which assists military families in crisis.
"We saw that the need was there, and the money had to come from somewhere," said John McCall. He and his wife are both retired from the military.
Dee McCall also is a retired Teamster who helped to run a warehouse at Naval Station Everett. John McCall has a day job as a truck driver.
They admit the doughnut shop and deli is "nothing we ever thought of doing 10 years ago." But after seeing the need to help military families, they got a lease on favorable terms with Providence Everett Medical Center, which owns the commercial property. The McCalls also got deals from other suppliers interested in supporting their mission.
They navigated the needed permits and the ins and outs of registering as a nonprofit themselves. That part of the experience, John McCall said, is one thing he has no desire to repeat.
Since opening, however, the McCalls said they have met many veterans and relatives of military members, and they're seeing customer numbers grow.
"We just want people to try us just once," John McCall said.
Dee McCall said she already has some regulars who stop in most days. Among those are employees of neighboring shops and offices.
"The doughnuts are good. I come here for snacks all the time," said Mary Jo Lozano, who works next door in the American Insure-All office.
In addition to the baked goodies, deli items and snacks, the display cases at Riverside Donuts & Deli show off some of John McCall's Nascar collectables. A photo of John McCall's father taken during his service in World War II also is on display.
So far, the business is still trying to pay for itself. And the McCalls say they have no idea how much they might generate for the Chaplain's Fund. As a federally registered nonprofit, they're allowed to cover expenses, wages and taxes. So far, the costs have all come out of the McCalls' pockets.
The business already has some beneficiaries, however. Doughnuts and other perishables left over at the end of each day are being donated to local women's shelter, the Everett Gospel Mission and the Marysville Food Bank.
The McCalls, who both grew up locally, said they're enjoying their new enterprise.
"After retiring from our careers, we were too young to give up and do nothing," John McCall said.
Dee McCall, who usually runs the shop during the day, said she's enjoyed meeting customers. Then there are the doughnuts, which by all accounts are good. John prefers the lemon-filled, while Dee's favorite are the sugar twists.
But the best part will come when the new shop is generating money the McCalls can donate to the military families, both said. They're already getting a taste of how that will feel through their daily food donations, John McCall said.
"You see the look on people's faces when you donate food," he said. "And I can't wait to see the military chaplain's face when we write him a check."
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com
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