Dunkin’ Donuts coming to Granville

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By Jamie Norton

America runs on Dunkin’, and soon, so will Granville.

Donuts of Rutland will meet with the village’s planning board on Monday to gain approval to break ground on a new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant in the spring. Developers for the popular coffee-and-donuts food chain had been eyeing Granville for quite some time, and it aims to have its new location up and running by this summer.

“It certainly seems legit to me at this point,” said village clerk Rick Roberts, who has been working with Donuts of Rutland general manager David Shelburn on plans for the Dunkin’ Donuts. The franchisee plans to construct a two-story, colonial-type building with a drive-through and seating for 20 at the site on 73 Quaker Street adjacent to Big Lots.Dunkin site

Once approved by the planning board, the company will likely break ground as soon as winter is over – probably in late March or early April – and Roberts estimates it will be complete sometime between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The restaurant will likely have 12 to 15 part-time openings and a full-time manager, which Roberts has heard they’ve already appointed.

“They’re not benefits-paying jobs, and I understand that, but you’ve got to play the hand that’s dealt you, too,” Roberts said. “This one’s a little different – maybe it’s college kids or semi-retirees or somebody who’s just looking for part-time employment, but I don’t think they’ll have a problem finding people to work there.”

Other chain stores and restaurants in the area, such as Price Chopper, Family Dollar, Big Lots, McDonald’s and Tractor Supply, satisfy a strong percentage of local employment rates, and Roberts feels this will only help with that.

“We have a McDonald’s, we have a Subway, we’ll have a Dunkin’ Donuts,” Roberts said. “I think these are generally considered to be healthy (economic) signs. I guess I just view it as a positive from the perspective of somebody had to take a look at Granville and say, ‘This is worth investing some money in.’”

Meanwhile, he said, although many businesses on Main Street continue to struggle, Roberts said he doesn’t feel the addition of another chain restaurant will put anyone out of business.

“To me, commerce is commerce,” he said. “I don’t think a Dunkin’ Donuts really is a big competitor for a mom-and-pop business. I think they compete more with chains. I think they’d be more a competitor of, say, Cumberland Farms or McDonald’s. But people who go to the Pine Grove for breakfast, my sense is, they’re still going to go to the Pine Grove for breakfast. It’s a different atmosphere.”