A collaboration between Benchwarmers Bagels’ former general manager Sarah Millsaps, chef John Knox, Boulted Bread owners Josh Bellamy and Sam Kirkpatric and Jubala Coffee owner Andrew Cash, Bright Spot Donuts is the new artisan donut shop serving delicious treats and local charm to Raleigh.
Millsaps, the current co-owner of Bright Spots, got involved with the store while earning her Masters of Business Administration at NC State. As a daughter of small business owners, Millsaps explained the importance of local business.
“Once I realized all that is possible in working in a small business in your hometown and the caliber of people that you get to work with, I realized I want more of this,” Millsaps said.
According to Millsaps, the Benchwarmers shop inspired the creation of Bright Spot. Plus, she credits NC State with deepening her knowledge of business practices while emphasizing the importance of combining academics with real-world experience.
“I want to equip myself with more tools to be more effective to show up in the community and make a bigger impact,” Millsaps said. “To serve people better food and to build a business where we can pay our employees more.”
Located at 1501 Sunrise Ave., Bright Spot has the friendly atmosphere of a small town, yet maintains the buzz of a big city like Raleigh. The cafe is a short 10 minutes from NC State, making it the perfect place for students to stop in for a sweet morning treat.
The cafe offers unique seasonal flavors like peach cream with buttermilk glaze and blackberry jam-filled donuts in addition to four staple options: original glaze, sugar and spice, sourwood honey and chocolate glaze. Bright Spot also serves Wake Forest-roasted Black & White coffee and a variety of galettes, a small French pastry. Like Benchwarmers and Boulted Bread, Bright Spot emphasizes fresh milled flour and locally-sourced ingredients.
Bright Spot officially opened its doors this past spring and has since kept limited hours, Thursday-Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon. The morning rush is a hubbub of people coming from near and far, many stopping in with their dogs on their morning walk.
Staff member Emma Sutich described the happy working atmosphere as they brewed coffee and handed out hot donuts.
“It’s a really easy job, nobody’s ever angry when they come in here so it’s very chill, and the staff is great,” Sutich, a recent alumna from NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles, said.
According to Millsaps, the friendly atmosphere is a core part of Bright Spot. Each of the business’s founders grew up in Raleigh, making the cafe feel very community-based.
“The chance to be working at the shop and [see] the people that raised me — whether it’s my parents, my high school teachers, old babysitters, so many people that took care of me — coming in, and now I get to give a very small thing back that matters to me.” Millsaps said.
To keep up to date with the business, follow Bright Spot on Instagram or visit the shop at 1501 Sunrise Ave. in Raleigh. Whether you come in for one of their mouth-watering donuts or to grab a hot cup of freshly-brewed drip coffee, Bright Spot Donuts is sure to brighten your day.
