Fresh Doughnuts And Regular Joe At Mel’s Bakery
Don’t go to Mel’s Bakery and Coffee shop for a latte on your way to work. You won’t find one there, or a mocha, cappucino or other specialty espresso drink.
But you’re welcome to come in and help yourself to a cup of Farmer’s Brothers coffee from one of the pots on the counter.
“We tried the espresso thing, but it didn’t really work out,” says Mel’s owner Dave Bergstrom. “People are just interested in coffee.”
Mel’s doesn’t really compete with dozens of espresso places around the Valley, and doesn’t need to.
The regulars are happy enough with the straight coffee and doughnuts that have made Mel’s a popular spot since 1961.
Half a block west of Sullivan at 15112 E. Sprague, it’s tucked right there between Wayne’s Shoe Repair and Affordable Lock Express.
The atmosphere is vintage 1960s, with all the regulation vinyl and Formica to prove it. Even though Bergstrom is remodeling a little, he’s smart enough not to change the diner-type feeling of the place.
“People like consistency,” he says of his regular customers. “I’m not going to mess with the seating arrangement - that’s like changing the doughnuts. And people want the coffee pot in the same place. Things like that are important.”
That homey atmosphere is worth preserving in a fast-food world of national chain stores, where breakfasts are shipped in from Bettendorf, Iowa.
Everything at Mel’s is made from scratch, from the doughnuts and pies to the sandwiches served at lunch. (There’s also biscuits and gravy served for breakfast.)
Mel’s is a gathering place for many Valley old-timers who fill the booths along the wall and solve the world’s problems each morning.
Bergstrom, who has served time in supermarket bakeries, says the business of his regulars is what makes his job as a satisfying as it is.
“Ninety percent of my customers are regulars. People are happy to see you. Everybody’s real friendly. You get lots of compliments on the doughnuts. It’s those personal rewards that make it for me.
“I like baking and I like it better when you can bake for someone who appreciates it…. I really like the people here.”
Bergstrom, 33, bought the shop from his uncle four years ago and employs three assistants. He’s been baking for 20 years, learning the trade from his father, Jerry Bergstrom, who ran Westminster Bakery in Hillyard until 1986. He took time off last year to recover from a heart attack, but dove back into business, loving the challenges and rewards of having his own shop.
He goes to work at 10 most nights, baking all night long. In the middle of the night, a customer having trouble sleeping may drop in for a visit, and he’s happy for the company. He puts a pot of coffee on and welcomes them in.
The shop is technically open at 5 a.m., but with the doughnuts usually ready by 4:30, the doors will open before then for early birds. Sheriff’s deputies often drop in as they come off the graveyard shift.
“Rush hour is 6 to 9. Lots of people headed for work walk in and buy a bag or box of doughnuts,” Bergstrom says.
Doughnuts - the jelly Bismarcks, nutty Persians, Veredales, bear claws, maple bars and all the others - are $3.50 a dozen and 40 to 45 cents apiece at counter. They keep great company with you on the drive in to work or, if you get a dozen some morning, you can treat you’re workmates and give everybody a nice sugar buzz.
, DataTimes MEMO: On Your Way is a Valley Voice column focusing on commuter lifestyles and issues. Your views on any of the topics discussed are invited. Please write: On Your Way, The Valley Voice, 13208 E. Sprague, Spokane, WA 99216. Or fax us at 459-5482.