Detroit is a prideful place which means this city hasn’t taken lightly to the decades of international ridicule it has received from media, ignorant (see what I mean about not taking it lightly) private citizens, and others.

The international criticism has united Detroiters in ways that people probably never could have imagined back in the late 70s and 80s. Detroit has become so protective of its own turf that there is even a Detroit vs. Everybody clothing line which inspired an Eminem rap song.

This unification of Detroit has been both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the city has found a way to unite in the midst of unprecedented scrutiny. On the other hand, the prideful, gritty and defensive nature of the native Detroiter combined with the unassuming, opportunistic attitude of the new Detroiter has led to a rift of its own. It has become a silent civil war of sorts (well, that might be a bit dramatic, but you get where I’m going).

The point I am trying to make is that Detroit can be intimidating atmosphere for anyone, let alone an outsider.

With that in mind, imagine moving to Detroit from Macedonia in the 1970s amidst racial tension that often turned violent and a business climate that was less than ideal. That’s exactly what Victor and Mary Petkovski did when they transitioned to Detroit in 1972 and then got married in 1974.

Mary’s sisters bought Donut Villa in the late 1970s and it has been in the family ever since, thus inspiring the mantra “Faith and Family.”

Victor and Mary have been close to the family business since the beginning, but they didn’t take over as owners until 1990. The couple regularly put in 10-12 hour days seven days per week to provide a home away from home for thousands of residents in Southwest Detroit. Located in one of the most ethnically, economically, and culturally diverse districts in Detroit, Donut Villa has harbored a very unique clientele.

“The people who come to Donut Villa are regulars, but we have no pretenses here,” said Tom Srbinovski, Victor and Mary’s son-in-law. “If you’re cool with you, we’re cool with you. We welcome all walks of life.”

There is something comforting in the casual nature of Donut Villa. For starters, employees wear whatever they want – their rank is not displayed in the shade or color of their shirt like many corporate donut shops. Second, there are no formalities between customers and employees or management – people talk to each other like people. It is because of this that a casual bystander couldn’t possibly distinguish owner from customer. In my first visit to Donut Villa, I walked to the counter and asked for the owner only to find out that I had already passed him. Victor was sitting at the counter speaking to a friend. It is through these subtleties that Mary, Victor and Tom have been able to foster a family atmosphere unlike any donut or coffee shop you have ever been to.

“In the morning you might come in and hear yelling,” Tom warned. “But it’s not people yelling at each other. That’s just a family thing. Other coffee shops you might go to get a coffee and sit down with your computer or a book with your headphones in. Well, here you come to talk with family over a cup of coffee.”

The next time you’re in the market for a donut, a cup of coffee, and/or a conversation you’ll find a whole bunch of people ready and willing to listen at Southwest Detroit’s Donut Villa.