CAROLINA BEACH — A local man who has been praised for carrying forth the tradition of Britts Donuts in Carolina Beach has passed away.
Bobby Nivens, 86, died Tuesday, Oct. 14. A memorial service will be held Friday, Oct. 17, at 11 a.m. at Andrews Mortuary Valley Chapel. That night at Kindred (205 Charlotte Ave. in Carolina Beach), a celebration of life will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Nivens purchased Britts Donuts from its founder, H.L. Britt, in 1972, after having worked at the donut shop in high school. With Nivens’ wife, Maxine, and their children, grandchildren and numerous town locals, the shop has become a staple of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.
Known for churning out one single style of donut — glazed — the Nivens stuck with the tried-and-true recipe Mr. Britt started back in 1939 when the shop first opened. They also cook the doughnuts in the same deep fryer and utilize the same equipment originally purchased for the business. Nivens, who said the family keeps the ingredients close to the vest — only he, his wife and daughter know what goes into each batch — thought the nostalgia of the shop and its equipment helped add to its flavor.
The popularity of Britts is indicative on opening day every spring — which marks the arrival of tourist season in the area — as lines of people snake around the Boardwalk to grab a dozen or so doughnuts. The lines continue until Britts closes annually just after Labor Day. Nivens told PCD in 2021 closing six months a year was by design, so he and his wife could take holidays together.
He also was in the planning stages back then to turn over the operation to his daughter, Lynn Prusa, and granddaughters, stating: “Yeah, this might be my last year — you never know what life’s gonna bring and I would like to spend more time doing what we like to do — travel and things.”
The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce commended the business and Nivens online Wednesday upon the announcement of his passing: “Bobby, was a beloved part of the Carolina Beach business community for over 50yrs. We are grateful that we got the opportunity to celebrate the legacy that his hard work and dedication created in our community.”
Nivens was given a key to Carolina Beach in 2019 and as the beach town marked its 100-year anniversary in 2025, Britts was celebrated along with it.
Mayor Lynn Barbee noted back in April he was one of the “hundreds” who got their first experience in the working world thanks to the Nivens and Britts — “part historical landmark and part cultural icon.”
“I can’t imagine two people who have affected more lives in a positive way than Bobby and Maxine,” he noted, boasting the two offered so many a first glimpse into the meaning of hard work, responsibility and having fun.
Nivens’ obituary hasn’t been posted yet, but check back in Port City Daily’s obituary section where it will be published once available.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
