A positive revamp for Owego’s Dunkin’ Donuts

Dunkin’ Donuts in Owego, N.Y. was recently torn down, but will be rebuilt on the same property, at the corner of Park and Front Streets, according to owner / partner Mayur Kaneria. New construction is expected to begin soon, potentially as early as Sept. 17, unless there are issues to address following demolition.

Mayur Kaneria, who is owner / partner with his brother, Mahesh, explained that the new building will take a local construction firm approximately eight to ten weeks to rebuild.

The Kaneria’s, who acquired the Owego site in November 2011, also own other Dunkin’ Donuts locations, including one in Apalachin, and four in Broome County.

Mayur explained that every few years Dunkin’ Donuts franchise headquarters promote changes to the overall appearance of the stores and look to franchise owners to follow-through.

In the case of the Owego location, Mayur stated, “It was definitely due this year, because of the general shape it was in.”

The building, a former Mister Donut prior to Dunkin’ Donuts, had previous renovations done that were not appealing, as well as uneven floors and an aged roof.

Mayur shared an example, “There were supporting walls in the way,” which led to the entire operation performing less efficiently and reduced much needed space.   Also, due to the high cost of pursuing all of the needed renovations, the best decision was to tear down the structure and start from scratch.

Once the Owego renovations are complete, customers can expect to see a brand new interior with a more open, modern looking appeal, as well as an expanded seating area.

The baking production will continue to be outsourced, which allows more space inside the Owego building for the efficiency of operations overall, as well as extra room for customers.

Many customers who frequent the Owego location would enjoy a drive-thru; however that is impossible at the Park Street location.

“We would have preferred a drive-thru,” shared Mayur, “And we did look at other possibilities.”

However, the Park Street location, which receives a good amount of traffic from the general public, is a favorite spot for regular customers and the owners alike, so all those factors were considered in the decision making process.

Employees from the Owego Dunkin’ Donuts were given the option to work in Apalachin or other Broome County locations until the new building is ready.  Loyal Dunkin’ Donuts customers will undoubtedly look forward to the re-opening of the Owego site, which has been a neighborhood staple for many years.