The Eastlake shop announced the closure via Instagram, thanking customers and the surrounding community for their support and confirming its final days of operation would be Saturday and Sunday, January 31 and February 1, from 8am until sold out. In the post, the business described the decision as “the end of a chapter,” emphasizing the relationships and community built over the years rather than offering a specific reason for the closure.
The Eastlake shutdown continues a noticeable contraction for Donut Bar, which at one point appeared poised to become a regional and national doughnut powerhouse. Founded in 2013 by former professional motorcycle racer and pastry chef Santiago Campa, Donut Bar first gained attention with its oversized, visually striking doughnuts at its original B Street location downtown. The shop quickly became a social media sensation, drawing long lines and national press attention.
By the late 2010s, Donut Bar embarked on an ambitious expansion and franchising effort, opening multiple locations in San Diego County and beyond, including Pacific Beach, Eastlake, Chula Vista and beyond San Diego. That growth, however, proved difficult to sustain. In 2020, Donut Bar’s franchising arm, Sweet Assets Franchise Group, filed for bankruptcy amid legal disputes, signaling a major shift away from rapid expansion.
The Pacific Beach location closed in 2024 after nearly six years in operation.With the Eastlake closure, Donut Bar now operates just one location: its downtown flagship at 1 Columbia Place.
That downtown shop itself represents a reset for the brand. In April 2024, Donut Bar relocated from its long-running B Street storefront to the much larger Columbia Place space, developed in partnership with Regent Properties and designed by Orness Design Group. The new location features an expanded kitchen, two outdoor patios, champagne and coffee bars, and an augmented reality experience that allows customers to interact with animated versions of San Diego landmarks via smartphone.
The move marked a pivot away from franchising and toward a single, highly curated flagship model. Campa has previously described the downtown relocation as an opportunity to finally build the shop he always envisioned, with the space and infrastructure to support a broader menu that includes pastries, cakes, cookies, and specialty beverages alongside Donut Bar’s signature doughnuts.
The brand has also faced occasional controversy unrelated to its products. Public social media posts by founder Santiago Campa expressing support for former President Donald Trump have drawn criticism from some customers, contributing to a noticeable split in public sentiment online. While Donut Bar has continued operating without issuing formal statements on the matter, the posts introduced political friction into what was once a broadly apolitical, family-friendly brand.
The closure of the Eastlake location underscores how dramatically the company’s trajectory has shifted since its peak expansion years. What was once a fast-growing multi-location brand has now narrowed its focus to one downtown destination, betting on experience, design, and brand identity rather than geographic reach.
As of publication, Donut Bar has not announced plans to open additional locations. The downtown flagship at 1 Columbia Place remains open and operational. For more information, visit donutbarsd.com.
Originally published on January 31, 2026.
The closure of the Eastlake location underscores how dramatically the company’s trajectory has shifted since its peak expansion years. What was once a fast-growing multi-location brand has now narrowed its focus to one downtown destination, betting on experience, design, and brand identity rather than geographic reach.
As of publication, Donut Bar has not announced plans to open additional locations. The downtown flagship at 1 Columbia Place remains open and operational. For more information, visit donutbarsd.com.
Originally published on January 31, 2026.
