Gut Check's journey through the city's Dunkin' Donuts renaissance is nothing new. More than a decade after the last of the fried dough franchise closed in the city, St. Louis was reintroduced to the chain in March 2010 with the opening of the first new generation Dunkin' Donuts (1208 South Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood; 314-984-0220) in Kirkwood. The breakfast didn't stop there: This store was rapidly followed by franchises at Lambert, in Rock Hill and in Florissant.
According to a city zoning adjustment notice, the newest addition will soon find the doughnut Goliath setting up shop at 4220 Telegraph Road, pending franchisee Michael Geller is granted the zoning exceptions he requested at tonight's 4 p.m. board meeting, of course. Geller is one of two small business owners and enthusiastic doughnut lovers who are peppering the area with the franchise it was missing for years. The other, Jay Patel, who operates the Florissant location and one in Washington, Missouri, has gone on record with his hope to add ten total Dunkin' Donuts franchises to north and west counties.
Geller, who started the Kirkwood venue, has his sights set on a more doughnut-friendly number: a dozen. If the two doughnut entrepreneurs reach their quota, the city will go from zero Dunkin' Donuts options to 22 in less time than it took to bring in that inaugural Kirkwood location. That's a heck of a lot of doughnut shops in a city that isn't exactly suffering from a shortage. Our eyes are already glazing over.
