Retail Watchers

This place was a total joke. It was open 4 years.

It came in with a real "roar." Open 24 hours, plans to open numerous other locations across the region (they did open one in Sparks, which is still open). Toward the end, hours got cut back drastically (closed by 5 PM if not earlier) and the donut display was only half filled up even in the morning at 7 AM.

The location was humorously poorly run, routinely had little to no product, and was inefficient with even simple orders involving basic coffee or iced tea orders taking a few minutes, which the locations back east can produce in seconds.

There is signage posted on the closed location that says they will be relocating to Reno (no location disclosed). They shouldn't even bother. Between Starbucks and a number of "local" coffee places, plus expanding Dutch Bros., along with a handfull of really good local donut places, there is not much place for them in most of Reno. Maybe in certain busy, but generally underserved poorer areas like Sun Valley or Stead, where Starbucks and those local donut places are not present and not close, they may have a shot...

Dunkin should have expanded west with well run corporate operated locations. They may have had a shot. They could have established a following with well run locations, and probably ended up selling more franchises in the end. These locations should not be that difficult to run since they just defrost or microwave most of the food and other than that it's just drinks. These franchise locations, if the ones in Carson City and Sparks are any indication, are run horribly and a terrible representation of the brand.

Donut shops tend to be hit or miss on the west coast. Dunkin had several locations around Portland which quietly closed over the years. I think there may be one or two left. Winchell's never updated their locations, a handful are still open under independent owners, and while they have good donuts, you can still tell it was a 1970s Winchell's. Krispy Kreme is OK for donuts but they seem more like a "fad" brand which is fading, they do not draw the crowds they used to.

In some cases, supermarket bakeries offer better donuts which doesn't help things.

The Dunkin' Donuts near me opened up a few years ago as the only one in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was busy at first and now it is empty most of the time. People got bored of it and never came back. The donuts were not fresh most of the time. The service was slow. There is not a big following of the Dunkin' brand on the West Coast. These stores are a cheap imitation.

I believe that the Taco Bell that used to be there would be doing much better business.

I would not be surprised if this Dunkin' closed down as well.

Super S wrote: ↑March 17th, 2019, 7:54 am Dunkin had several locations around Portland which quietly closed over the years. I think there may be one or two left. Winchell's never updated their locations, a handful are still open under independent owners,

Dunkin castoffs - northwest franchisees couldn't justify paying for the remodeling costs the company wanted every (7?) years so they broke the agreement.

In Seattle, that's why we have Aurora Donuts (if it's still there) and in Portland it's how we got local mini-chain Sesame Donuts. There was another location of Dunkin' in front of Clackamas Town Center on SE 82nd Ave, which went independent but it closed and is now renovated into a sushi bar restaurant.

The other remaining location is now a Starbucks near the main roadway to PCC-Sylvania.

The Winchell's in the northwest became Heavenly Doughnuts, which is actually pretty good. I find they have fresh items through the day. H.D. locations

SamSpade wrote: ↑March 19th, 2019, 5:09 pm

Super S wrote: ↑March 17th, 2019, 7:54 am Dunkin had several locations around Portland which quietly closed over the years. I think there may be one or two left. Winchell's never updated their locations, a handful are still open under independent owners,

Dunkin castoffs - northwest franchisees couldn't justify paying for the remodeling costs the company wanted every (7?) years so they broke the agreement.

In Seattle, that's why we have Aurora Donuts (if it's still there) and in Portland it's how we got local mini-chain Sesame Donuts. There was another location of Dunkin' in front of Clackamas Town Center on SE 82nd Ave, which went independent but it closed and is now renovated into a sushi bar restaurant.

The other remaining location is now a Starbucks near the main roadway to PCC-Sylvania.

The Winchell's in the northwest became Heavenly Doughnuts, which is actually pretty good. I find they have fresh items through the day. H.D. locations

It looks like the WA ones were gone by 2002. Funny the "Aurora Donuts" was co-branded with Baskin Robbins until recently.

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/arti ... 099645.php

That Aurora Donuts looks like it could have debranded from Dunkin yesterday.

Aurora Donuts looks like Dunkin' Donuts in everything but name.

I am surprised that they say Krispy Kreme is expanding. Krispy Kreme donuts are lighter and more airy tasting. Some people like that. Dunkin' Donuts seems to be heavier and makes you feel stuffed.

Starbucks is different as they appeal to a different income level with higher quality food offerings and more varieties of drinks.

That store used frozen donuts- not like other Dunkin’ stores I’ve been to that fried the donuts in-store. It was pretty bad - they were out of donuts quite a bit.

bryceleinan wrote: ↑July 11th, 2019, 10:26 pm That store used frozen donuts- not like other Dunkin’ stores I’ve been to that fried the donuts in-store. It was pretty bad - they were out of donuts quite a bit.

The Sparks location is not much better. I am still waiting for that new Reno Dunkin location that is supposedly coming (per their closing announcement on Carson that they are relocating to Reno). Maybe the two hispanic markets near the Carson Dunkin did them in; wonderful bakeries at both. Then again Dunkin quality level is about on par with a bad supermarket...

I wish I had seen this topic a couple of weeks ago! I was on vacation in Reno/Tahoe and saw the sign on the highway for this location only to be disappointed! The state highway department had not removed it yet!

marshd1000 wrote: ↑July 12th, 2019, 5:29 pm I wish I had seen this topic a couple of weeks ago! I was on vacation in Reno/Tahoe and saw the sign on the highway for this location only to be disappointed! The state highway department had not removed it yet!

You didn't miss much. It was rough at that location all along and only got worse toward the end. Very short hours (was closing as early as 4 PM), sometimes not even open during the posted hours. It was 24 hours when it opened.