Krispy Kreme on Franklin Street sales topping expectations

Sales for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts’ Franklin Street location have been higher than their management expected — but competing stores have not noticed a drop in customers, owners said.

Despite entering an already crowded market — Franklin Street has at least 13 dessert or coffee shops within about a half-mile — Krispy Kreme General Manager Jonathan Wilder said he thought the location is the main reason the store has succeeded.

“This is a unique concept (within the company),” he said. “It’s more of a college-themed one.”

Wilder said the business’s biggest surprise came on the day of the first home football game of the season.

“The morning before the Georgia Tech game was probably our hottest hours of business,” he said.

But management officials of several stores along Franklin said they have not noticed much change in business since Krispy Kreme opened Aug. 25.

Ben & Jerry’s has not seen a dip in business from the last two or three years, owner Antonio McBroom said.

“I’m never excited to see other dessert shops open on Franklin,” he said. “But with that said, I think we’ve got a pretty unique customer niche who remain loyal.”

Sutton’s Drug Store, next door to Krispy Kreme, offers breakfast and dessert as well. Manager Don Pinney said foot traffic in the area also hasn’t changed much since the doughnuts rolled into town.

“Any new business will increase foot traffic for a while at first, but now it’s about the same,” he said.

Krispy Kreme is not the only newcomer to the Franklin Street dessert scene — Yofrütt is a new frozen yogurt store that opened three months ago next to Cold Stone Creamery.

McBroom said he feels Franklin Street is oversaturated with dessert places and was surprised to see two new dessert stores open in such a short time period.

“From the standpoint of a business operator, there’s nothing about the Franklin Street scene that says, ‘Yo, they really need more desserts on Franklin.’”

But junior Justus Berger said all of the stores seem to have developed their own clientele, allowing them to stay in business.

“Someone who would want to go to Sugarland wouldn’t be drawn away by Krispy Kreme,” he said.

For Molly Davis, a freshman from New Bern, the wide selection is an attraction in itself and a step-up from home.

“I definitely like the diversity because there wasn’t any in my hometown,” she said.

But Chapel Hill resident Dayn Peters said it’s still pretty funny to see another ice cream and dessert store open up.

“I was wondering what these people plan on doing when winter comes around,” he said.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.