ATTITUDE MATTERS; KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUT SHOP WILL OPEN SOON IN VAN NUYS.

Byline: Dave McNary Staff Writer

Krispy Kreme, the legendary North Carolina-based doughnut shop preferred by Elvis Presley and President Clinton, is already wooing the San Fernando Valley.

Even though its Van Nuys store is more than three weeks from opening, more than 120 Krispy Kreme trainees have begun schooling in the intricacies of jelly fillings and sugar glazes.

Even before the first doughnut was dunked, the company's Southern California franchisee used a unique recruitment and training program at Los Angeles Valley College that has already given jobs to some of the Valley's toughest-to-employ.

``A lot of these people (Krispy Kreme is training) have had problems, but we've done the same kind of customized training for other businesses like Wal-Mart,'' said Lennie Ciufo, director of the college's job-training program. ``Usually, it's been for groups of 20. So this is by far the largest group we've had.''

When Great Circle Family Foods decided to open its third Southern California Krispy Kreme in Van Nuys, it went straight to Ciufo for help.

The college's job-training center - with the help of government agencies such as the Employment Development Department and One-Stop Centers - recruited more than 300 candidates for the doughnut shop, most of whom are part of welfare-to-work programs or do not yet speak English fluently.

From that initial group, more than 100 were selected for the training program.

That was followed by three weeks of unpaid training, covering such subjects as communication, motivation, listening, teamwork, attitude, time and stress management, and problem solving.

David N. Anderson, Great Circle's vice president of development and store operations, said he's impressed with how well the recruiting class is shaping up.

``The idea is that we want to already be a big part of the community right out of the chute when we open the doors for business on Sept. 28,'' he said. ``We think it's going to help us hit the ground running.''

San Fernando resident Debbie Bond, who found out about Krispy Kreme through a job club operated for recipients of general relief, said she is delighted with the prospect of a job at Krispy Kreme.

``I hadn't worked for a while, and it was tough for me to get going, but now I can't wait to start,'' Bond added. ``This is going to be a lot better than being cooped up at home. I feel like the program is bringing out the best in me.''

Bond said she has been impressed with the program's emphasis on teamwork and attitude, which included film footage of the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics despite obviously limited exposure to snow. ``We're getting pushed to always give 100 percent,'' she added.

Panorama City resident Charlotte Butler said the prospect of a new job has lifted her spirits after being downsized from an inventory job at Sears in June.

``I'd never heard of Krispy Kreme before now, but I cannot wait to start,'' Butler said. ``We're doing about 75 hours of training without getting paid, so you know everyone here is really pleased about being part of this.''

Jim McJunkin - an instructor who breaks up the class lectures with proclamations of ``As soon as you open the door, it's showtime'' and ``Van Nuys is No. 1'' - said the training is much more than just cheerleading.

``This course is very big on teaching people to listen and how to recognize stressful situations,'' he said. ``We want them to be empowered to deal with problems cheerfully, like what do you do if a child starts to cry or if someone spills coffee. What we tell them a lot is how important their attitude is and how it affects every single person around them.''

The Van Nuys store will employ approximately 120 people once it opens later this month. The 4,000-square-foot store, located at the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Sherman Way, will include round-the-clock drive-through service.

Since Great Circle plans to open 40 more Krispy Kreme stores in Southern California over the next five years, Anderson plans to employ a similar recruitment and training approach in filling the coming 4,000 or so slots.

About two dozen of the Van Nuys employees - those who appeared best suited for key posts like crew leaders - have already started work at the Krispy Kreme in La Habra. That store, opened in January, has been extremely popular, with lines of dozens of people at the counter and at least a dozen vehicles in the drive-through lane typical at any time of the day.

Great Circle will open its fourth and fifth Krispy Kremes in Ontario and Orange in November; in 2000, it plans to roll out stores in Gardena, Huntington Park, Long Beach, San Diego and South Central Los Angeles. Possible future sites include Pasadena and Oxnard.

``We're planning our 42 locations to be spaced out enough so they don't cannibalize each other,'' Anderson said.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) Debbie Bond of San Fernando takes notes during a recruitment and training program at Los Angeles Valley College. Bond hopes to work at the new Krispy Kreme store opening in Van Nuys.

(2 -- color) Jim McJunkin, motivational speaker for potential Krispy Kreme employees, tells how to deal with stressful situations cheerfully.

Motivational speaker Jim McJunkin lectures to potential Krispy Kreme doughnut workers at Valley College.

(3 -- color) David N. Anderson

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer