Dunkin Donut’s Competes With Locally Owned Businesses

The latest corporate chain has opened in Raleigh inside 222 Glenwood, a new mixed-use condo building on the Glenwood South strip. Dunkin Donuts has dropped their apostrophe and is now officially competing with locally owned businesses, such as Helios and Turkish Delights.

Raleigh City Council should ~~ban chain establishments in the Downtown area~~ take cues from other cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Portland (and many smaller cities across the country) and investigate imposing restrictions on fast food chains and other chain establishments in the Downtown area.

alex10/28 08:57 AM

completely agree.

ben10/28 09:04 AM

This is a catch 22. while i agree with Mark, i see the argument to bring in national chains to attract some folks to DTR. While there is a lot of appreciation for locally owned businesses Downtown, there is still a demand for national presences. In order for DTR to thrive and continue to grow, there will need to be a solid mix of both national and local businesses to serve the masses-some folks just probably need to see more DDs of the world come to Downtown before they will. Rather than banning national chains from coming to Downtown, I think that the City and County should create better incentives for locally owned businesses (particularly restaurants and retail shops) to enter the Downtown community.

Laura10/28 11:56 AM

Are you serious? Banning a business from opening somewhere is absurd.

David10/28 12:21 PM

I completely agree with Laura. Banning any business from opening is certainly not a step in the right direction. I also agree with Ben. Offering small business incentives to move downtown, or anywhere in the city for that matter, would be a great way to encourage new economic growth. Let’s face it, with the economy the way it is right now, all across the country local businesses are closing up shop and going under. In some areas, the only thing keeping the economy from crumbling is the national chains which have the financial resources to survive this “economic slowdown”.

If national chains were to vacate, rent prices would sky rocket leaving the locally owned, small businesses to pay for it. Small business cannot handle this burden. If this were to happen development would cease and people would leave for a more “economically stable” area.

So where now is the downtown that we all know and love?

Elliot10/28 01:34 PM

There is enough Glenwood for everyone. I think also they all appeal to a different demographic. I think all of the businesses should be fine in the end.

Mark10/28 02:56 PM

Would you agree with a ban on fast-food establishments?

Ken Metzger10/28 03:07 PM

Mark, are you trying to ban Armadillo Grille, Sunflower’s, Krispy Kreme, The Roast Grill, and Biscuit Station?

kg10/28 03:15 PM

downtown raleigh doesn’t have *so* much going on right now to be choose-ie. if you like helios or morning times, i doubt you’ll change your routine just because a dunkin’ donuts opened up around the corner.

MMI10/28 03:52 PM

Damn, NewRaleigh.com really takes a hit on this one. Seeing an absurd comment about City Council banning a business is the kind of thing you expect to see in the “Comments” section—NOT in the text of an article written for your website.

ap10/28 04:03 PM

You should proof your headlines.

David10/28 04:18 PM

Ap you should read the linked article and understand the allusion.

@MMI Articles express the opinion of authors. While New Raleigh does not support national chains, it does not support a ban or anything like that.

MMI10/28 04:39 PM

Does that mean that his next article will argue for the Principal lifting his ban on on-campus skating? I’m sorry, and I happen to really enjoy this website, but my high school newspaper had better standards.

Mark10/28 04:44 PM

There are many cities and towns in the US that have put restrictions on new fast food or chain establishments. As much as three times the amount of cash spent at local businesses stays in the local economy than corporate chain businesses.

Do I think that the city should ban (new) chain or fast food establishments, not necessarily, but I do think it’s a relevant discussion when new chain businesses begin to compete with locally-owned business.

MMI10/28 04:51 PM

That much is certainly true. However, the shoddy writing in this case is my real point. Why not simply state that restricting large chains was worthy of discussion? That’s why I said that such a statement belonged in the Comments section.

MMI10/28 04:52 PM

You know what? I sound like a real asshole doing this on a message board. You may e-mail me if you like, Mark.

Clyde Smith10/28 05:05 PM

This is a great topic of discussion but there’s such a gap between this kind of thinking and anything I’ve seen coming out of the City Council that it does seem a bit absurd.

MMI10/28 05:25 PM

It was a huge issue when I lived in Charleston, as many local retailers found themselves on the street after larger stores offered their landlords a massive increase in rent payments. Mayor Riley made efforts to limit this, I believe. I know he isn’t afraid to enact rules over how shops can do business downtown—severely restricting sidewalk dining, etc.

jack s.10/28 06:36 PM

I don’t think the government should ban chains or any restaurant. Let the market decide. If people stop going to chains, they’ll stop coming. If they enjoy going to them, then chains should be here.

NPD10/28 08:05 PM

You ever been to Manhattan-there’s friggin Dunkin’ Donuts on every corner from midtown down to the lower east side?

Clyde Smith10/29 12:52 AM

This is great. This conversation wouldn’t even have had a context in Raleigh in the 80s.

That being the last period from which I have extensive lived experience of Raleigh.

Dana10/29 08:37 AM

Most chains restaurants are actually “locally owned”. Local people are employed by these establishments. Only the concept is not local.

MMI10/29 04:46 PM

[That looks good, Mark!]

CF10/30 09:24 AM

I’m just thankful that downtown has enough activity for DD to be interested in opening a store there. I’ve lived in DT Raleigh for a long time and this would have been unheard of a few years back.

rnb10/31 09:42 AM

it would be nice if they could at least sell FRESH donuts… not stale like my boss just got. gross.

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Mark Tuesday, October 28, 2008