Dunkin Donuts of Aiken, Dunkin Donuts of Aiken
After presenting his idea to a local bank, he received the needed funding to start his venture in late 2009. Results have been strong, beginning with a record-breaking store opening for Dunkin Donuts in the Southeast. The store sold thousands of donuts on its first day. The drive-thru was so busy that the Aiken Police had to provide traffic control for most of the day. The success of the initial Aiken restaurant prompted the expansion to another location in Aiken, as well as a third in North Augusta. On any given week over 10,000 customers are now served. To meet this demand, full-time employment has grown by just over double from 15 personnel in 2010 and total sales have increased at an average annual rate of 35%.
When the client decided to move forward in launching his own business, he sought advice from members of the Greater Aiken SCORE chapter. With their help, he developed the business plan that was used to secure his bank financing. These same SCORE volunteers also assisted in the marketing plan for his grand opening. Asked about his experience with SCORE, this successful Dunkin Donuts franchise owner said “Without their help, I surely would not have opened to the success that I had”.
An Aiken County entrepreneur with a long career managing country clubs decided that our area needed a restaurant that specialized in a simple breakfast menu: donuts, bagels, muffins, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee. His instincts told him that demand would be strong, but he wanted the backing of a national franchise with a respected brand for its product knowledge, logistics support, and marketing know-how. In 2008 he approached Dunkin Donuts to learn if franchise opportunities were available to serve the 190,000 people of Aiken County