ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The smell of fresh doughnuts fills the air each morning at Ava’s Donuts in Biltmore Park Town Square, where Jennifer Mao greets customers with a warm smile from behind the counter.
Mao, 35, helps manage the front of the family-run shop, making sure the morning rush runs smoothly. The small business, owned by her parents Kry and Kay Mao, has served customers in south Asheville for about five years.
“I do a little bit of everything,” Mao said. “Mostly managing, I guess.”
For Mao, the best part of the job is the people who walk through the door.
“Meeting new people and seeing their smiling faces,” she said. “It makes the early mornings worth it.”
While Mao arrives at the shop around 6 a.m., the work of making doughnuts begins much earlier.
“The baker is here around midnight,” she said with a laugh. “Compared to that, being here at 6 isn’t so bad. I’m just up front helping customers.”
Outside the shop, Mao’s life stays busy. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 7 and nearly 4.
“They keep me busy,” she said.
When she does have a quiet moment, Mao enjoys tending to indoor plants — a hobby she says offers a calm contrast to the fast pace of the shop.
Despite the early alarms, Mao said working at the family business is rewarding.
“The hardest part is waking up early,” she said. “But it’s nice seeing everyone come in and start their day.”
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