Everyone loves a hero. Everyone loves doughnuts. A chef and his business partner are hoping Birmingham will love Hero Doughnuts.

Chef Wil Drake will be selling his French brioche pastry-style doughnuts in a pop-up shop at Crestwood’s Seasick Records at 5508 Crestwood Blvd. starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12.

Drake and his business partner, Jason Wallis, hope to find a permanent spot for Hero to land in downtown Birmingham. Until then, the plan is to sell doughnuts at multiple pop-ups around the city.

“We want to use the highest-quality, most locally sourced ingredients we can, but that’s not what we want the customer to be focused on,” Drake says. “At the end of the day, it’s a doughnut and we want to give people the best tasting one out there.”

Chef Wil Drake has turned his culinary attention to the doughnut in his latest endeavor. (courtesy of Hero Doughnuts)

Hero Doughnuts is selling its sweet wares in pop-up shops until it can find a permanent location in downtown Birmingham. (courtesy of Hero Doughnuts)

Hero Doughnuts is selling its sweet wares in pop-up shops until it can find a permanent location in downtown Birmingham. (courtesy of Hero Doughnuts)

Hero Doughnuts is selling its sweet wares in pop-up shops until it can find a permanent location in downtown Birmingham. (courtesy of Hero Doughnuts)

Hero Doughnuts is selling its sweet wares in pop-up shops until it can find a permanent location in downtown Birmingham. (courtesy of Hero Doughnuts)

Wallis is a photographer and commercial director with his company, Wallis Visuals. But when he learned of Drake’s plans for a doughnut venture, Wallis saw a sweet opportunity.

“I have watched Wil’s career for several years and have always been impressed with the boldness of his flavor pairings and his interest in a food genre’s history,” Wallis says. “So when Wil told me he wanted to make doughnuts, I knew they would be doughnuts people would drive miles to eat. I said, ‘Let’s make it happen.’”

They chose the name to recognize those who transform into heroes using a box and an office instead of a cape and a phone booth.

“The heroes are the employees that bring a box in to work to brighten up a Thursday morning, or the dad who takes his kids by the store so Mom can have a few minutes of quiet, or the friend who gathers a group for a spontaneous afternoon treat,” Drake says.

Lewis Communications created the branding and package design for Hero Doughnuts.