VENTNOR After months of watching the corner of Ventnor and Portland avenues transition from an old abandoned gas station into one of America's favorite brands, the Dunkin' Donuts store at 6400 Ventnor Ave. will open to the public starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23.
The site boasts a new generation for an old standby. Now known simply as Dunkin', the 1,499-square-foot store will be open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will offer free Wi-Fi.
The franchise is one of 33 in the tri-state area owned by Arun Mandi of the Atlantic Regional Food Corp. of Gibbsboro. The new branding and design includes eight cold beverages dispensed through a tap, including coffee, tea, cold brew and nitro-infused coffee.
The new menu offerings and approachable atmosphere will grab the attention of Dunkin' fans and help keep Ventnor City running on Dunkin' for years to come, Mandi said in a statement.
The store, which is next to Tutto Fresco, Enlightened Café and Isabella's Ventnor Café, will have outdoor seating and a drive-through window. Cost to build the restaurant exceeds $1 million and it employs 18 crew members.
City officials are betting that Dunkin' will be the catalyst to future development in the business district.
The more a downtown is active, it raises all ships, Commissioner Tim Kriebel said when Mandi's application was heard before the Planning Board.
Dunkin' announced its new brand identity in September. Although the Ventnor restaurant has been built with the new store design, including the signature pink and orange colors, other restaurants will be remodeled to reflect the new look. The official name change takes place in January 2019.
Our new branding is one of many things we are doing as part of our blueprint for growth to modernize the Dunkin' experience for our customers, Dunkin' Brands CEO David Hoffmann said in September. We believe our efforts to transform Dunkin', while still embracing our incredible heritage, will keep our bran relevant for generations to come.
Ventnor Dunkin' is one of 50 new and remodeled stores that feature new signage referring to the brand simply as Dunkin'. The building features a modern design with increased energy efficiency. The Ventnor Dunkin' was designed to save 25 percent more energy.
Although the company dropped the word donuts' from its name, it remains sweet on donuts.
Founded in 1950, the company now boasts more than 12,600 stores in 46 countries.
An official ribbon cutting is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, which will include a chance to win free coffee for a year, giveaways, raffles and prizes.
