Jumpin’ Jelly Donuts
The city of Buffalo’s first Dunkin’ Donuts opened earlier today at 598 Main Street (corner of Chippewa). And when I say early, I’m talking ‘5am early’. That’s what time customers can walk through the door on any given weekday. Then, on weekends, the doors open at 7am. Director of Operations, Pat Cosentino, told me that although there was no line at 5:30 am, there were customers backed up to the entranceway most of the morning. “Even The Mayor stopped by,” he told me. “He announced that today was officially Dunkin’ Donuts Day in the City of Buffalo.” I asked Pat what The Mayor left with, and what his favorite donut was, and he replied, “ He left with a box of donuts… his favorite is glazed.”
This particular Dunkin’ Donuts franchise group is one year old, and the Main/Chippewa location is the ninth in the area to open. The shop will staff 15-20 employees who will serve up donuts, as well as the franchise’s best seller… coffee. DD will also be serving up a different type of menu that touts flatbread pizzas as a new offering. Store Manager, Bob Aquino, a self professed KISS fan, told me, “We’re here to conquer and crush Tim Horton’s. Just like Gene Simmons and the KISS Army would do.” Bob also said that he would be showing up in full KISS regalia on Halloween and no one should miss it. “I have a Kiss collection at home and play in a KISS cover band on the side.”
I’m still trying to find out what was more interesting… Bob and his KISS obsession, or the jumping donut that someone walking by mistook for a California Raisin.
Hat Tip to David Torke @ Fix Buffalo who was out looking for donuts at 5:30 this morning.
Photo: Donut dude and Dunkin' Donut employee.
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Comment Options
MJWorthington
I remember when that was a shovel ready parking lot =) It is awesome to see a building built up to the corner there with a service buisness on the ground floor.
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StaggerLee
Perfect, more donuts for a dangerously underweight population.
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benfranklin
While it's just one store... it's interesting to consider the ramifications of more franchises entering the mix in the city. To this point, even the more viable commercial strips have few franchises. While the sentiment on this site, I imagine, would be to support the locally owned store, it may be more important what it might do to retail rents in the city. On the other hand... maybe it's too soon for a Starbucks to move into someplace like Graniteworks. But why would the landlord for NEO want significantly more, unless they felt the space was being significantly under utilized? It will be interesting to watch over the next few years.
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Andrew
I went there for an ice coffee today its a pretty small store. i didnt realize it was there frist day in business. there was a line durring lunch tho
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Bizzles
Hopefully this store gets the standard accompanying Baskin Robbins to fill out more of the retail space in the building...and provide me with yummy yummy ice cream during the day :)
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rdominguez
I find that donut costume rather disturbing. I think I'd prefer to hear the store manager wax poetic about KISS.
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duff
I love the BR ice cream, but while you're waiting don't forget about Melanie's Sweets just a couple doors down on Main St. next to Sue's for your ice cream fix.
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BuffaloCook
PLEASE PLEASE someone now open a friggin mighty taco in the city so i don't have to spend 45 minutes driving down delaware to kenmore!!!!!!!! I know people like it, so open it.
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Hoss
I friggin' heart Dunkin. Much better than that Canadian Tim Horton's slop. Are they making donuts fresh in shop, or are they all fried at a central location? Hopefully they will bring the Blueberry Cake variety here. My favorite. The location near UB on Main St. has no idea what I'm talking about. It's a staple flavor back in New England.
There is a Mighty Taco in the city. On Delaware about 50 feet North of Hertel. Though I can't imagine driving 4 minutes let alone 45 minutes for that poor excuse for food. 'Provolne' on Tacos. WTF!
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Andrew
We need a mighty taco downtown and on elmwood and a cold stone creamery in both locations as well. both of these places are in high enough demand that people will make a special trip for them so it will force more foot and vehical traffic into these locations which will result in more retail and so on and so forth. plus they are good eats!
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icecreamsub
Hell, while were at it, when are they going to expand Duff's to downtown? The Anchor Bar is a tourist trap and most outsiders don't know enough to get their real Buffalo wing experience at Gabriels Gate. It would be a gold mine for cripes sake!
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david
Was riding to the bank this morning when I rode up to dunkins...called Newell who was also on a bike..."Wow, another dunkins in the City - just like at the Sonic Cafe across from Artspace - you should check it out!!!
Thought I saw Newell inhaling his third chocolate glazed with sprinkles, when I rode by again...
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LeftCoast
What would be really fantastic is if Buffalo could support an upscale grocery chain like Whole Foods or, better yet, Trader Joe's. If Pittsburgh and Cleveland can, why not us??? This is the thing that irritates me about WNY - for all the talk of the great, affordable lifestyle you can have here, people seem to overlook the fact that you can live almost as cheaply in other Rust Belt towns that have far more amenities. Okay, so a DD opens in the city. Not bad, but Buffalo still has a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong way to go.
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gaustad
Does this mean that a Timmy Ho's is gonna open up close by?
Is there a Timmy Ho's downtown? There should be!
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Charger
gaustad,
There are Tim Horton's outlets in Key Tower and HSBC Center. The HSBC one's been open about a year and the Key Tower location for about six months.
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viking
The Cosentino's must like the donut business now, they did own Krispy Kreme also, but never saw Pat eating donuts at Riverside High, must be a middle age affliction.
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Perry
That is an award-winning photo!
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Hospitable
Cosentino.... as in the Cosentino who fell behind on $500k in hotel taxes??? That Cosentino!! Businesses is business, its small things like Dunkin doughnuts that we doon't have in the city that limit the quality of life, welcome.
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wmsvl21
I agree with Left Coast re Trader Joe's - I miss them! - but Pittsburgh and Cleveland are at least twice the size of Buffalo. At least I can get my DD french vanilla coffee fix before work now!
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kelly
Good timing, what with the Simpsons movie opening tomorrow. mmmm... donuts.
And yeah, I'd love a mighty taco near Allentown or downtown.
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rdominguez
Left Coast and wmsvl21-- I love Guercio's, and I love that Wegman's is, by all accounts, a great employer, but I couldn't agree more about wanting a Trader Joe's here. Two buck chuck, oh how I miss you.
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dpbflo
Oh nice another franchise.. to compete with spot coffee.. and perfect location right across from corporate TGI Fridays and down the street from Tim Hortons.. There are very few chain restaurants in this city... because we are blessed with amazing restaurants locally owned.. Lets keep it that way before all our money is going out of state. I agree there should be a mighty taco, but keep duffs in the suburbs if you want real wings go to Gabreils gate (allen), Charlie O'Briens's (elk street), and O'Daniel's (abbott rd.) Your not going to find no Olive Garden or Maggianos Littly italy when you have the Mulberry Cafe (bethlehem steel park), Chefs (seneca St), Ilio Diapolos (south Park) Or a Famous Daves, or an Applebees when you have Fat Bobs (virgina pl), buffalo bbq and brew (elmwood), colter bay (allen), Jimmy Macs (elmwood) Or Chilis, when you have places like Cozumel (elmwood), El Caporal (union rd) Not to mention Mothers, Empire Grill, Toro, EB Greens, Scoth And Sirloin, Kennedys Cove, Stillwater, etc. Theres a ton more than fall into all of these categories.. Point is support yoru local economy... Get your coffee from Spot and keep money in WNY.
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Andrew
^^ just becaues a brand didint start in the b-lo doesnt mean the money doesnt stay here. you only pay a franchise fee one time then the owner (a local) keeps the profits (usually). plus it wouldnt hurt to have a few more franchises in the city to fill in some of the holes. who is to say we cant have dunkin and spot... a little competition? i just desperately want a nice national clothing retailer (gap? banana republic?) to move into downtown because i think after the first one a tidal wave will follow.
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BuffaloSoldier
Regardless of the business, having an occupied retail store front on such an important corner of downtown is the true victory. It is essential to tie the Theater and Chippewa Districts together more firmly so that people can easily hop back and forth. With a half of a block of empty storefronts and blank walls, that just cannot happen. Now with that highly visible corner generating attention, a continuity can form along Main and Chippewa Streets.
The benefit of having a national retail chain (Dunkin' Donuts) on that corner is the visibilty - thus draw - that it will have among people in that section of downtown - especially with visitors less familiar with existing local businesses. Although I don't see a flurry of new growth heading to downtown as a result of Dunkin' Donuts, I do see that corner (and adjacent storefronts) becoming more desirable for other retail opportunities because of the increased attention. Although it is nice to have two Tim Horton's downtown, its is a shame that they are set up like exclusive kiosks inside office buildings. As a result little benefit will be felt on the street level or to people not employed in those businesses. It's not exactly easy to run up into the HSBC Center for a quick cup of joe.
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ChristaSeychew
Check out the links below for some recent (and interesting) posts where commenters discussed Whole Foods and Trader Joe's extensively as well as a story involving donut chains.
YUM posts: http://www.buffalorising.com/story/wegmans_is_the_cream_of_the_cr http://www.buffalorising.com/story/the_whole_donut_and_nothing_bu
City post: http://www.buffalorising.com/story/latinas_closing_on_elmwood
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