I wanted to devote an entire blog post—not just Thursday Rundown treatment—to a man who has treated me and my family so well over the past nine years.
Read on for more details, but this is me holding my box of birthday donuts from Retro Donuts owner/friend Jon Fine.
Jon Fine came on my radar in 2015. That spring I shed light on a parent-led mutiny effort (it failed) to remove the football coach I played for at Mead High School. Jon, whose son had played in the football program, also opposed the parent steamroll and followed my posts. He provided me positive feedback and a friendship was born.
A year later, Jon would open Retro Donuts in north Spokane. I swear I could smell those delicacies all the way from South Carolina. About nine months after he opened the doors, Sidney and I visited the shop during a summer trip out west. Not only was it the first time we visited Retro Donuts but it was the first time I had the pleasure of meeting Jon face-to-face. He came right up to the counter, greeted us, and added some complimentary donuts to our order. Jon was even nicer in-person.
In future trips to Spokane, we would make it a tradition to stop at Retro. We wouldn’t tell Jon we were coming in, but the moment we walked through the doors it was as if he was expecting us. He would come right up to the counter, warmly welcome us, and catch up. We always left with some extra donuts in our box.
My kids with a box of Retro Donuts.
But my interaction with Jon wasn’t limited to our in-store vacation visits. After the Coach Carty saga, he continued to follow my blog, becoming a loyal reader. I could always depend on Jon for insightful and positive comments. In fact, perhaps nothing was more enlightening than when Mr. Fine cleared up the “donut vs. doughnut” debate I passionately wrote about. In an eloquent way that only a true donut-maker could convey, he explained that most donuts don’t contain “dough”—clearly leaving no doubt that the “donut” spelling is correct.
I mean, how do you argue with this response?
In 2020, Retro Donuts was no longer 3,000 miles away but rather 30 miles away. We moved from South Carolina to Spokane Valley and the world’s best donuts were now just a car ride away. Jon welcomed us “home” and our friendship continued. Although we don’t visit Retro as much as we would like, Jon has brought Retro to us…
A couple years ago when I returned to Hoopfest as a player, Jon sent me a box of donuts for the team. Although my teammates and I didn’t necessarily indulge right before our first game, we certainly had the happiest donut-fed young fans cheering us on.
My kids, niece, and nephew eating Retro Donuts at Hoopfest.
Then, just yesterday, my mom surprised me when she texted me a Retro Donuts box with a “happy birthday” message on it. Later that night, she brought the delicious gems out to me. The box was packed with 13 beautiful donuts, including four of my personal favorites – fritters! What an incredibly nice gesture by a really nice man.
What a generous (and delicious) birthday present. Thanks Jon Fine for the Retro Donuts!
I highly encourage my Spokane-area readers to try Retro Donuts. The donuts baked within those walls are creative, fresh, and delectable. Best in the region by far! But keep in mind you won’t just be making a great donut/breakfast decision, you will also be supporting an incredibly kind human. Thanks for everything, Jon. Don’t Blink.
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