NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Dunkin' Donuts celebrated its reopening after undergoing a recent remodel by presenting the Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry with a $3,000 donation.
"We are very thankful for Dunkin' Donuts for the very generous donation," the center's Board President Lois Daunis said Thursday morning after accepting the award. "Our numbers have increased dramatically this year; the $3,000 will go directly to the purchase of extra food."
Before the Dunkin' Donuts leadership team presented the check, Mayor Jennifer Macksey cut the ribbon marking the official reopening of the longtime Union Street location.
Vice President of Operations Dave Hoelscher said the North Adams Dunkin' Donuts had been in line for a remodel that would modernize the space to better serve its customers.
"It just has a new look. It is the goal to get all of them done across the country," he said. "This one was due. It is like a Pez Dispenser. Next one pops up, and we do it."
He said the new, more open floor plan now features digital boards for easier ordering. The doughnuts have also been moved to the front, and a new tap system has been installed.
"So rather than being at ambient temperature, if you're an ice tea drinker like I am, it comes out nice and cold already," he said. "It doesn't melt all the ice down. Same thing with iced coffee so it has a stronger bolder coffee taste."
He said the remodel also better accommodates online orders and deliveries with an organized self-service station.
"No one had delivery when we built all of these 10 to 15 years ago," Hoelscher said. "Now it is organized and you can come in and find what you ordered. There are a lot of little improvements you may not notice but they make a big difference."
The doughnut chain has operated at the corner of Union and Eagle streets since 1970, back when 52 varieties of doughnuts were made fresh and customers could sit at a diner-style counter. It had been open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for decades but in recent years switched to 4 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There were giveaways throughout the morning, and North Adams residents and passersby didn't miss a beat. Throughout the morning, a steady stream of customers passed through the building, ordering and utilizing the new amenities with ease.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Clarksburg Select Board Accepts School Roof Bid, Debates Next Steps
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Select Board last week accepted a bid by D.J. Wooliver & Sons to do the flat roof on the elementary school.
Wooliver was the lowest bid at about $400,000 but cautioned that the cost may rise depending on the conditions once the work started. The work will depend on town meeting approving a borrowing for the project and a possible debt exclusion.
But how much borrow and whether the work will be worth it has been a conundrum for town and school officials. The condition of the school has been a major topic at meetings of the board and the School Committee over the past few months.
Town officials are considering putting the question to the voters — try to piecemeal renovations or begin a new study on renovating or building a new school.
In the meantime, the leaking roof has prompted an array of buckets throughout the school.
"Until they actually get in there and start ripping everything up, we won't really know the extent of all the damage per se so it's really kind of hard to make a decision," board member Colton Andrew said at last week's meeting, broadcast on Northern Berkshire Community Television.
Board member Daniel Haskins wondered if it would be better to patch until a town made a decision on a school project or do a portion of the roof. But Chair Robert Norcross disagreed.
Bailey explained that this change will allow police officers more flexibility when responding to non-emergency calls, reducing wait times at the traffic light and reducing potential traffic congestion when emergency vehicles need to pass through.
click for more
First Congregational Church of North Adams' fourth annual "Share the Love" campaign concluded with over $9,000 raised to support local organizations serving individuals in need. click for more
The School Building Committee's update on Tuesday included that a public records request for the detailed design documents is requiring redaction and review, including by public safety. click for more