In the days I worked at a bagel shop, the early-morning walk from my car to the front door was always a little unsettling. The streets were empty, the city still dark.
What helped was the glowing light of the neighborhood donut shop. The bakers had already been there for hours, quietly working while the rest of the city slept. Knowing someone else was awake made the darkness feel a little less lonely.
That feeling of an early morning sanctuary is why donut shops endure.