Even more Dunkin’ Donuts to open in R.I.

By Kimberley Donoghue
PBN Web Editor
Twitter: @kdonog

PROVIDENCE – Can there be even more Dunkin’ Donuts in Rhode Island? Apparently, yes.

A group of Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owners have nabbed up 16 former Tim Hortons locations, but just five will be new doughnut and coffee shops. The others will be leased to non-competing companies.

When asked if Rhode Island can really fit more Dunkin’ Donuts in the state, Todd Wallace, field marketing manager for Dunkin’ Donuts in the Providence market, said:

“Though we already have great brand availability in the greater Providence area, the addition of these restaurants enables us to be even more convenient for our Rhode Island and SouthCoast Massachusetts customers, and we look forward to continuing to support the community causes around these shops that are so important to our guests and crew.”

The new locations are: 159 East Main Road, Middletown, where Shawn Thornton of the Boston Bruins will be on Saturday for the official grand opening, and 1023 North Main St., Fall River. Locations to open within about a month are: 231 Main St., Ashaway, and 162 Granite St., Westerly. A spokeswoman said they have not decided where the fifth location will be.

There are 180 Dunkin’ Donuts locations in Rhode Island, and 110 in Bristol County, Mass.

A spokeswoman for the group of eight franchisees declined to disclose how much the properties had been bought for, saying it was proprietary. The closing happened last spring, she said.

Separately on Thursday, Dunkin’ Donuts parent company Dunkin’ Brands called for new franchisees in 10 U.S. cities across five western states, according to the Boston Business Journal.