NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The moment two local institutions announce seasonal opening dates, it indicates warmer temperatures are upon us in southeastern N.C.
Carolina Beach’s famed Britts Donuts, located on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk on Pleasure Island, will open Friday, Apr. 2, at 4 p.m.
Britt’s has been operating at Carolina Beach since 1939 and remains a hotspot to buy doughnuts served only one way: glazed. Each are fried to order, hand-dipped and served piping hot.
Annually, folks align the Carolina Beach Boardwalk on Britts’ opening day — and practically every day after — for hours to enjoy a few dunks in milk or coffee, at the bar or by ordering bags to go.
Britts’ doughnuts cost around a buck each or up to $10 a dozen and the restaurant only accepts cash.
The institution has been recognized for years locally, regionally and nationally for its tried-and-true item, each handmade like they were seven decades ago. (Most recently, Food and Wine ranked the top doughnuts in every state, and Britts made the list.)
Britts’ spring hours, Apr. 2-25, were announced on its website:
- Fridays 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Saturdays , 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sundays, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (or until donuts are out — except Apr. 4, open ’til 10 p.m.)
- Mondays, Apr. 5, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (or until donuts are out)
Britt’s will modify its hours later in spring and summer. It closes at the end of every season, usually after Labor Day sometime in September.
Over on the north side of Wilmington, Lewis Farms announced on Facebook it would open late March. Their hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sundays, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
The farm is best known for its “you-pick-’em” strawberries (Mar. – June), blueberries and blackberries (May – July). It grows 350 acres of blueberries, 20 acres of blackberries, and 100 acres of spring strawberries, plus oversees 20 acres of wintertime strawberries grown in a tunnel.
The Lewis flagship location on Gordon Road operates as a “you-pick” service and retail shop. Folks can mosey along rows of berries to pick themselves, or buy flats and buckets of freshly picked berries. The location also sells jams, homemade ice cream, and annual and perennial flowers, foliage, herbs and vegetables for springtime gardens.
The farm has another “you-pick” site on Highway 117 in Wrightsboro/Castle Hayne, plus two satellite stands that sell freshly picked berries.
The Lewis family will be interviewing potential employees for its upcoming season, and is in need of folks to work their berry stands, in the fields, oversee social media, or make ice cream.
Walk-in interviews will take place at 6517 Gordon Road on Sunday, Mar. 7, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., and Monday, Mar. 8, 9 a.m. to noon.
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