Sure, you can buy a pastry, cup of Joe or breakfast sandwich almost anywhere these days, but where can you walk in and have the owner (or staff) greet you by name?

In the Grandmont-Rosedale neighborhood a family-owned business prides itself on offering the same variety of products as larger chain stores and something different –  more personalized service. 

Elias Donuts, located at 19231 Grand River Ave., has been selling donuts for 35 years to an average of 200 to 300 customers daily, as well as other items like sandwiches and smoothies. 

The store is owned by Hanna Mikhael, who prefers not to be called “owner” by the community, but refers to himself as a servant.

“Being generous is not something you learn … it’s who you are,” says Mikhael. “You’re always going to be generous when you’re respecting people, giving people whatever they like, being a servant to them, and the reward will be big.” 

Mikhael, 62, came to the United States from Lebanon in the 1970s and learned his craft while working at a Dunkin Donuts bakery. His daughter, Monica Mikhael, says the former location of Elias Donuts used to be a Dunkin Donuts in the 1980s before her father bought and changed it into an independent shop, which he named after a relative. 

 He serves customers the products they enjoy comes in a variety of ways and different kinds of menu items. 

“We have our core two – a cake and a yeast donut,” his daughter says. “Those are the two different ones you’ll see throughout any donut shop, and everything else is just a variation of that.”

Those variations include Boston crème, banana cake, peanut-covered, chocolate, honey-dipped and glazed. There also are Detroit’s local favorite, paczkis all year round, as well as some varieties exclusive to Elias, like “Froot Loop” and churro crullers. 

Having operated Elias for so long, Mikhael has seen a lot. As a 24-hour business, he recalls times when patrons entered the store intoxicated or wearing low-hanging clothes.

“I give them a donut and say, ‘Hey, you’re my man,’” he says, “and, all of a sudden, he lifts his pants, and they respect you. If you want to treat people how they (should) treat you in return … you want to make others come around and notice you are a good person.”

Elias employee Dajanne Fowlkes has been working at the shop for nearly two years and enjoys the frequent interactions with both the staff and the public as one of her job perks.

“I love it here. We have regular customers all the time,” she says. “Everyone is like family. If I were to work with someone at McDonald’s, the boss and I wouldn’t really interact. Here we do.”Being a 24-hour facility is one of North Rosedale Park resident Chelsea Neblett’s favorite attractions about Elias. The five-year patron says she buys many donuts during the traditional early morning hours and for late evening meetings.

“I usually go in two times a month for work meetings for large orders, and I usually go a couple of times personally,” she adds.

 Even when Elias is busy Neblett says the service is fast and the wait isn’t too lengthy.

 “In the morning the lines can be super-long,” she says. “Sometimes there are four to 10 people in front of you, but it never feels like it’s a long wait, no matter how long the line is.”

 Although Elias has a variety of sweets, Monica says some of today’s customers have strayed from donuts, compared to the numbers they bought in the 1980s and 1990s. This is because it’s harder for residents to find a freshly baked donut unless they go to a small, independent shop like Elias, she says.

“The whole culture started to change and then bagels started to become more popular,” she says. “You can go to any donut shop and they’ll tell you the same thing. People just don’t buy them anymore like they used to. I want to say it’s because they’re healthier, but I don’t think so.”

While not an obvious choice for customers looking for lighter fare, Elias offers pita roll-ups in nine different flavors, like Greek veggie, ham and cheese, and spicy buffalo chicken, all advertised as less than 400 calories per nine-inch sandwich. Smoothies come in a variety of choices, including “Wild Cherry,” “Pineapple Paradise” and one mixed with beet and red berry flavors.

Despite health trends, Monica says the family business has done a lot for her – it even helped put her and her two sisters, Nora and Zeina, through college. 

As for Hanna Mikhael, he and the Elias staff will continue to serve.

“We’re here to treat everyone equally – to give you the most we can,” he says. “As long as I’m here, I’m going to do my job right.”

Editor’s Note: Elias Donuts is located at 19231 Grand River Ave. Detroit, MI 48223. You can reach them by calling 313-535-0079 or visit them on facebook.

To learn more about Bank of America’s many programs and resources for small business owners visit: https://www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/business-financing.go

  Elias Donuts, paczkis