Drop In Donut
Fort Bragg’s Favorite New Sweet Spot
by Esther Liner
For twin siblings and co-owners of Drop In Donut, Jeremy and Heidi Wall, some of their sweetest childhood memories center around donuts. “Our background is Portuguese, so at Christmas, we’d make traditional donuts, malasadas, with our family. Our dad was a dentist, so we didn’t have a lot of sweets around growing up. When he’d take us for a donut or a maple bar at our local bakery, it was really a special treat,” says Jeremy. “Our father really loved donuts, it’s something he shared with us. We lost him a few years ago, but I know he would be so excited for us if he could see what we’re doing now,” says Heidi, pointing to a picture on the wall of their late father enjoying one of his favorites: a powdered sugar, lemon-filled donut.
Prior to moving to the Mendocino Coast to be closer to his sister and enjoy a quieter pace of life, Jeremy had spent a decade as a professional pastry chef in the Bay Area and San Diego. Noting that his new hometown didn’t have a mom and pop donut shop of the sort the Walls had grown up going to on special occasions, they sought to remedy that.
In May of 2020, Drop In Donut brought their colorful, contemporary takes on the classic raised donut to the Fort Bragg Farmers Market. After an enthusiastic reception by the public, in July they went on to open a brick and mortar shop in the storefront adjacent to the historic Golden West building. While it takes major chutzpah to open a business in the midst of a global pandemic, Drop In has become an instant hit amongst locals and tourists alike. Perhaps now more than ever, people have a need for comfort and traditions, something sweet to look forward to. Indeed, just as their father used to take them on special occasions to pick out donuts, the Walls get to enjoy new generations of grandparents, parents, and children coming in for a special treat. Local workers love donuts too, with people often stopping in to pick up a dozen donuts to share with their office or bring to a meeting.
The name “Drop In” is a triple entendre, a reference to the act of dropping donuts into the fryer to get them golden, dropping in on a wave, as surfers do, and dropping in to pick up donuts as locals do. Drop In’s decor reflects the siblings’ love of surf culture and mid-century classics, with vintage booths and tables sourced from a donut shop back east, and cheerful Endless Summer-style surf memorabilia adorning the space.
The Walls are looking forward to Drop In becoming a neighborhood visiting place once the coast is clear for dine-in establishments, and in the meantime they are happy to serve people for take-out service. Their flavor lineup changes weekly, incorporating the best of seasonal flavors and ingredients. Alongside classics like chocolate and maple-bacon, you can find intriguing offerings like orange-blossom ginger, PB&J, tropical glazes, Black Oak Coffee glaze, and Overtime Brewing Milk Stout. New creations like jam-filled donuts, apple fritters, cinnamon rolls, and donut bread pudding have been well received, and more new offerings are on the way, including cake donuts and Portuguese malasadas.
The shop is open Thursday through Sunday. Heidi serves the donuts from 8 am until the donuts sell out, often with the help of her boyfriend and her 14-year old son. Don’t forget to Drop In next time you’re in Fort Bragg.
Drop In Donut | 132 East Redwood Ave, Fort Bragg
(707) 962-3010 | DropinDonut.com
