By Krystle S. Morey
Coolatas, fresh-baked bagels and croissants, donuts, breakfast sandwiches and more will be available on Quaker Street when the new Dunkin’ Donuts opens for business on Nov. 3.
The business is expected to be one of Granville’s busiest. It will feature a drive-thru, pre-ordering and a 19-seat lobby with free Wi-Fi.
Now, if coffee lovers want to hit up a Dunkin’ Donuts they have to travel 15-30 minutes to Poultney, Fair Haven or Hudson Falls.
Laura Merone-Walsh, owner and president of Donuts of Rutland, the company that is building the local franchise, said she thinks the Granville Dunkin’ will be quite popular.
The company conducted a number of site analyses that looked at traffic and brand market surveys before deciding to build in Granville.
“We are always looking for areas that we can develop, serve our customers and support the community,” said David Shelburne, general manager of Donuts of Rutland. “The analyses gave a good indication that a store in that location could be successful.”
The colonial-style building was erected over the past several months in front of Big Lots, across Quaker Street from the Cumberland Farms store.
Last week, crews paved the parking lot and finished hanging the exterior signs.
“We are moving right along, it’s going to be a beautiful building,” Shelburne said.
Most of the store’s products will be baked at Donuts of Rutland’s location in Rutland, Vermont, and shipped to Granville each day. The Granville store will have an oven to bake some products, including fresh croissants and bagels on-site.
Locals got a taste of what Dunkin’ will have to offer at the “Taste of the Slate Valley” event in the Veterans Memorial Park this summer. Dunkin’ employees served up samples of flavored iced tea and donuts.
Theresa Loomis, of Granville, organized the July 28 tasting event, which ran in cooperation with the Granville Summer Concert Series. Loomis, one of two managers who will run the Granville store, said she is excited for place to open.
Merone-Walsh is one of three owners of Donuts of Rutland. Frank Trombetta and Joe Merone are the others. This is the company’s 14th Dunkin’ Donuts franchise. It is the company’s second New York location – the other is in Ticonderoga. The other stores are in Vermont.
“The first month will be a soft launch,” Merone-Walsh said. A large, grand opening celebration, she said, will come in December.