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Dunkin’ Donuts returning to Hawaii after decade-long absence

Andrew Gomes
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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 2001

Dunkin’ Donuts in Pearl City.

Hawaii’s first Dunkin’ Donuts shop in more than a decade will be near the Honolulu Airport as part of a development project that includes an IHOP restaurant, a Shell gas station and an Aloha Island Mart convenience store.

All four pieces of the project on Paiea Street are slated to open in June or July, according to Aloha Petroleum Ltd., which is developing the property and will own and operate the Dunkin’ store along with the gas station and convenience store.

A local franchisee of IHOP is developing its restaurant between the convenience store and the Dunkin’ shop on land subleased from the fuel company.

Aloha Petroleum held a ground-breaking ceremony for the more than $5 million project today.

Aloha Petroleum is a subsidiary of Sunoco LP. It operates approximately 100 Shell, Aloha and Mahalo gas stations and 46 Aloha Island Marts, four Menehune Food Marts and two Subways in Hawaii. The company announced an agreement with Dunkin’ Brands in May to open as many as 15 of the donut and coffee shops statewide.

Some of the envisioned Dunkin’ stores are expected to be developed within Aloha convenience stores, at shopping malls or at stand-alone sites. Dunkin’ previously operated in Hawaii through a franchisee that shut down more than 10 years ago.

42 responses to “Dunkin’ Donuts returning to Hawaii after decade-long absence”

  1. Morimoto says:

    AAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!! Good news for us DD fans.

    • allie says:

      I will feed Mori those delicious sugar donuts!

    • KonaWarrior says:

      For those who haven’t gone in a while, DD is more than just donuts now. Last time I was there in Long Beach, their croissants and other breakfast sandwiches were a step above the typical fast food places that we are familiar with. Lots of different coffee choices. I don’t really remember if I even ate any donuts. Oh, yeah, I kind of stole a donut hole from my kid.

    • kennie1933 says:

      There goes the waistline! Good thing I live FAR away and will probably only make an occasional once-a-month stop.

  2. wrightj says:

    Bring back Byron’s instead; miss that place. Jetburger, too.

  3. MakaniKai says:

    Dang, nevah knew they left! :-0

  4. BigErn says:

    America runs on Dunkin’

  5. fiveo says:

    They had great coffee which was cheaper than Starbucks. Never understood why they closed down but I suspect the problem was
    that donuts became pass’e and finding good locations with affordable leases was a problem. I used to frequent the location in Kapahulu
    next to where Love’s Bakery was once and is now where Safeway back in 2004.

  6. residenttaxpayer says:

    All this time I thought they went bankrupt because there were no outlets here…..

  7. kuewa says:

    If I remember correctly, the first one was in the Aina Haina Shopping Center, across the parking lot from the first McDonald’s in Hawai`i. The bavarian cream donuts were my mom’s favorite. Unfortunately, I think DD might have caused Hadley’s bakery to close… no more long johns and eclairs.

  8. CouncilAdmin says:

    I’d rather have Krispy Kreme..

  9. vancemartin says:

    I wish small local businesses got as good of coverage and placement as big mainland corporations that want to sell us their chemical concoctions. Their product does nothing for the health and wellness of our island. And economically, the low wages will stay here, but the profits go back to the mainland. Only ones winning are the landlord, and a few contractors who build out the place…

    • dragoninwater says:

      DD is a good thing, good for population control. More diabetic amputees = less cars on the road = less traffic = no need for the rail. Problems tend to fix themselves!

    • primo1 says:

      Local businesses do receive their share of coverage if you pay attention. Lots of locals wanting to sell their “chemical concoctions” and contribute to the state’s collective waistline as well. How many plate lunch places are owned by big mainland corporations? 15 locations sounds like a lot more winners than the few you mentioned in terms of employment.

  10. Mito says:

    Return of DD 2 da 5-0, oh yeah! Thank U apprentice prez Trump 4 keeping your campaign promises, we lub U!

  11. iwanaknow says:

    I’ll pass….too much sugar is not healthy…….kale anyone?

  12. youngblood says:

    The cop`s stay jumping for joy!

  13. lokela says:

    They had one on Kapiolani as well. That one did not make it. Guess now they trying to catch the tourists. IHOP in there as well. Good luck to them. They not so hot in my book.

    • primo1 says:

      That Kapiolani location was in a bad spot. Hopefully the new locations will be situated where there’s more foot traffic. Paiea St. will get a lot of tourists.

  14. inHilo says:

    “Possible causes range from an asteroid impact to volcanism to” to DDs. Oh,sorry, that’s from a different story, that one about the last election.

  15. Death_By_Snu_Snu says:

    Didn’t they close down because the owner embezzled money? Hope they vet the new owners better.

  16. NOTSHEEP says:

    My diet is now Pau!

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