Dunkin’ Donuts | The Lo-Down : News from the Lower East Side

New Signs: Dunkin’ Donuts at 351 Grand St.

351 Grand St.

Back in May we noted the impending arrival of another chain store on the Lower East Side – a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise at 351 Grand St. Now the promotional push has begun, as you can see from the signage outside the storefront, which is located across from the Seward Park High School campus. There’s also a “now hiring” placard in the window.

Dunkin’ Donuts Coming to 351 Grand St

351 Grand St.

A new Dunkin’ Donuts is coming to 351 Grand Street, just to the west of Essex. Paperwork was filed recently with the Buildings Department for the renovation of a storefront previously occupied by Grand Health Pharmacy, which moved to another space a couple of doors down. Our understanding is that this is a franchise operation, rather than a corporate-owned store.

The shop will join two other chains – -Papa John’s and Subway Sandwiches — surrounding the Seward Park High School campus. The Dunkin’ Donuts will be located just two doors away from an independent business, Flowers Cafe.

Last year, a Dunkin’ Donuts store was slated for 409 Grand St., in a strip of retail shops owned by the Seward Park Co-op. Residents launched a campaign against the donut shop and recruited another tenant, Tribeca Pediatrics, for the space. A similar campaign targeting 7-Eleven was unsuccessful. The convenience store chain recently began renovations on a new location at 403 Grand St.

Seward Park Board Backs Away From 7-Eleven, Dunkin’ Donuts Leases

7-Eleven has its eye on the Grand Spa space at 403 Grand Street.

As we indicated yesterday, the board of the Seward Park Cooperative met last night to discuss whether to lease two retail spaces it owns to 7-Eleven and Dunkin’ Donuts. A group of residents and other members of the community mobilized to oppose the looming decision, forcing the board to reconsider. During the meeting, they decided to hold off for the time being on renting the spaces to the large chain outlets. The residents, who launched an online petition, have been speaking with other businesses, some of them small/independent retailers, about coming to Seward Park. The board and the co-op’s management company, Charles H. Greenthal Co., will look at other prospective tenants before making any leasing decisions.

Seward Park Co-op Residents Protest Potential Chain Stores

Roots & Vines, 409 Grand St., shuttered last month. It may be destined for rebirth as a Dunkin’ Donuts.

Rumors circulating among Grand Street residents about the possibility of two corporate chains moving into commercial storefronts owned by the Seward Park Co-op are generating a wave of backlash and an online petition in opposition.

Word on the street this weekend was that the Grand Spa at 403 Grand St. and the recently shuttered Roots & Vines cafe three doors down would be converted to a 24-hour 7-Eleven convenience store and a Dunkin’ Donuts, respectively.

This morning, protesters launched a drive to collect signatures; as of 2:15 p.m. they had gathered 91 supporters.