Doughnuts are an early-morning meeting requirement. Not counting the low-carb craze that reached its pinnacle a few years ago, doughnuts are an expectation at any gathering with other green professionals that begins before noon. Doughnuts are mainstays. They’re an innocent pastry filled with glazed goodness. A conversation starter or the sugar boost needed to kick start focus at a meeting. At least that’s what I’ve always thought.
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Nothing ‘lite’ about Dunkin’
Last week while watching what I thought was the “lite” news segment on the local Fox channel, I saw a story on how Dunkin’ Donuts was trying to gain a foothold by adding 20 new stores in North Texas this year (125 are planned by 2010).
The cheerful news reporter talked to a few doughnut fanatics who couldn’t wait for the chain to build stores here. They were mainly Northern transplants who had a hankering for the chain’s tasty coffee.
The reporter then spoke with Dunkin’ Donuts franchise management, who expounded on the premise that the
I grew up a block away from a Dunkin’ Donuts, so I was pleased to hear about the chain’s impending arrival in the
As I went to change the channel, I set down the remote when the story took a somewhat nasty turn.
The formerly bubbly reporter looked directly at the camera, smiled and acidly said, “But what about the effect Dunkin’ Donuts will have on the local doughnut stores?”
She went on to claim that the arrival of a national doughnut chain would crush small, family-run local, neighborhood doughnut shops. Dunkin’ Donuts went from a happy place to purchase excellent coffee and a French cruller to an evil big-business conglomerate out to destroy wholesome, mom-and-pop doughnut purveyors.
I was shocked.
Where was this news reporter when Home Depot, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart stormed into peaceful neighborhoods, squashing independent garden centers, grocery stores and hardware stores in their wake?
When did my local Fox start to care about the little guy? The independent?
Is the tide turning back?
The Dunkin’ Donuts incident isn’t the first David vs. Goliath story that I’ve seen recently in the news. It was just the most surprising. Doughnuts are innocent breakfast meeting food, not tools of the apocalypse.
So, is public opinion being manipulated back to the side of small, independent businesses? I hate to say it, but in a lot of ways, I hope so.
If the local news reporters can attack something as innocent as a doughnut chain, maybe they’ll start seeing the destruction that other independents-crushing chains can bring.
I’m not saying that all mega-chain corporations are bad, just that there needs to be a balance. Both need to survive for our businesses to thrive.
Customers need a choice. They need the opportunity to buy from the store of choice -- be it big or small.
I guess time will tell where public opinion on the small store vs. large chain will turn. In the meantime, pass me a jelly doughnut with sprinkles.
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- Jyme Mariani
June 2008