Dunkin’ stand-alones staying open in region, official says
Dunkin’ – the chain specializing in the marriage of doughnuts and coffee – announced last month that will permanently close 800 stores nationwide.
The firm’s six standalone stores in Washington and Greene counties will not be among them, a regional official said.
“The closings will have no effect on the Pittsburgh market, or Washington and Greene counties,” said Anthony Braun, chief operating officer for Heartland Restaurant Group, the Strip District-based franchisee for Dunkin’ in Southwestern Pennsylvania and parts of West Virginia and Ohio.
Since May 2015, when Washington County was Dunkin’-less, Heartland has opened five shops within its borders. The first was in Canonsburg, followed – not in order – by stores in Peters Township, North Strabane Township, and two in or near Washington (Murtland Avenue, West Chestnut Street). Another opened on Roy Furman Drive outside Waynesburg.
More than half of the stores targeted for closing – 450 – are set up inside the convenience store/gas station chain Speedway. Those plans were announced previously.
Despite the upcoming closures, Braun said Dunkin’, which is based in Canton, Mass., has been doing well in the Pittsburgh region. He said six stores have been launched there thus far in 2020 with “four or five more” by year’s end.
“We are growing exponentially,” he said. “We couldn’t be more pleased.”