First it was carpenters, electricians and other tradesmen who populated the place creating the transformation, then specialty bags of donut flour arrived and were stacked chest high in the kitchen, and the ovens have been working overtime for several weeks through training and experimentation. Now that the recipes have been perfected, it’s showtime for Red Coach Donuts.
Stacie Schultz and Joy Bancroft have donned their Lancer Red aprons to show off for family and friends in their “soft opening — taste testing” sessions, but come Monday morning the past four months or better of planning, strategy, trial and error turn to reality and Red Coach Donuts of Stevensville will spring to life.
The bright, cheery, sparkling clean donut shop debuts Monday morning at 6am and will be open every Monday through Saturday from 6am until 11am bringing back the amazing culture of the former Dale’s Donuts of Red Arrow Highway fame.
Joy Bancroft and her husband Bill established their partnership with Stacie Schultz earlier this year with plans to re-capture the magic that Dale’s Donuts presented to the community for decades. They’ve been working as a team ever since to resurrect a building on the southern gateway into the central business district at 5811 Saint Joseph Avenue and convert it into a great gathering place for coffee, donuts and smoothies for the masses.
Bill Bancroft’s family operated the long running Red Coach Inn, a popular hot spot in the late 60s and 70s. Bill also was a huge fan of, and Joy an employee of, Dale’s Donuts founded by Dale & Betty Jewell in the 70s and well beyond.
Inspired by the friendliness of the original Red Coach Inn and the great camaraderie of the Dale’s Donuts crowd, and driven by the sea of red that is the Lancer Nation at Lakeshore High School, the trio chose to call the new place Red Coach donuts to honor those great influencers in the local community.
Stacie insists that the new Red Coach opening on Monday, “Is not just another pastry shop. It’s a home built on small-town tradition — an opportunity to honor those who have coached and continue to coach in the community.” She adds, on her own forthcoming website: “So get a donut, grab a seat, and start a conversation!”
It was Bill’s love for the “gathering place nature” of his old stomping grounds that they sought out a space like their new diner, that would help them to mold Red Coach Donuts into a similar setting. The new shop seats anywhere from 75 to 90 people and will stick to their exclusive menu of donuts, coffees, and smoothies.
Stacie and Joy have been training side-by-side with Dale Jewell in their bid to perfect the replication of what a Dale’s Donut taste sensation has always been, and they’ll continue to introduce new flavors, varieties and styles going forward. Plans are to craft from 20 to 30 types including both yeast and cake donuts for the regular menu, but to enlist the creativity of you and I as customers and fans through the hosting of a “Donut of the Month” program.
A huge bonus for those who are perpetually late and on the run in a hurry is the drive-thru window for speedy pick up service during regular business hours.
Stacie is General Manager of the new operation. She’s a Lakeshore High grad who returned to the community about six years ago and signed on with the Bancrofts last winter following a 15 year stint working for companies like the Big Ass Fan Company of Lexington, Kentucky — creators of ceiling fans for residential and commercial settings. As long time friends with the Bancroft family, Stacie was recruited by Bill to join the team and take on the manager’s role.
The new Red Coach Donut shop has new parking alongside the shop and is anchored about half a block south of Watermark Brewing in the village’s central business district downtown.
Stacie has voiced great excitement over the resurgence in downtown Stevensville with newcomers like Watermark, Woodies and the Full Circle Cafe in the district and is looking forward to becoming a major part of that resurgence at Red Coach Donuts starting Monday morning at 6am.
