Planning documents now confirm a rumor we first heard last fall. Krispy Kreme plans to open a new drive-thru enabled location along Scenic Highway in Snellville in the coming months. The new doughnut shop will come to the former Pollo Tropical restaurant at 1635 Scenic Highway in an outparcel of the Lowe's Home Improvement store.
The roughly 3,500 square foot Snellville area Pollo Tropical first opened as Cabana Grill in April 2014 before being converted to Pollo Tropical in December 2015. The restaurant was one of nine closed this past December, amidst parent company Fiesta Restaurant Group's complete withdrawal from the Georgia market.
Industry observers see Krispy Kreme's opening as a coup for the chain, as its new location is on the "AM drive" side of the road and rival Dunkin' Donuts is not in the immediate area.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Krispy Kreme, like Panera Bread, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee, among others, is owned by German private equity firm JAB Holding Company.
Krispy Kreme operates several other freestanding, drive-thru enabled locations in metro Atlanta including those on US 78 in Lilburn, Buford Drive in Buford, Alpharetta Highway in Roswell, Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth, Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta and on Cobb Parkway in Marietta, among others.
The doughnut shop is the latest business to open in place of one of metro Atlanta's seventeen former Pollo Tropical restaurants. Del Taco has already opened in five (with plans to open in a sixth in Buford soon). New-to-market chain Joella's Hot Chicken opened in another four. Arby's took one in Johns Creek, CookOut opened in McDonough, Chipotle opened in Austell, Pollo Campero took one in Marietta, Chase Bank opened in one in Alpharetta and Regions Bank demolished one in East Cobb to build a new branch.
Krispy Kreme also recently opened a new location in Perimeter Mall in place of Carlo's Bakery, owned by "Cake Boss" owned Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro, Jr. The new shop, in a high profile location at the center of the mall, looks like a giant open box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
The recent resurgence and growth of Krispy Kreme comes just a few years after it closed a short-lived location on Buford Highway in Doraville.
Are you excited for the planned opening of Krispy Kreme in Snellville? What is your favorite doughnut flavor? Where would you like to see Krispy Kreme open next?
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