Futuristic Dunkin' Donuts Opens in St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG – A new Dunkin' Donuts that just opened amid the wall-to-wall shops along 4th Street North has the same bright pink and orange colors that distinguish the food chain worldwide.

But this new Dunkin' Donuts is also green.

On Friday, Nigel Travis, the company's CEO, is scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg from Boston to cut the ribbon at the store on the 1100 block of 4th St. North and recognize it as a model among the 3,000 Dunkin' Donuts worldwide.

This new Dunkin' Donuts – operated by Massachusetts transplants Bob and Thora Aziz and their two adult children – boasts energy-efficient LED lights and brown napkins from recycled paper that consumers have come to expect from retailers that promote conservation.

But the new St. Petersburg store goes several steps further in its pledge to follow business practices that are healthy for the environment and customers. The shop has an electric vehicle charging station in its parking lot, high-tech "touchless" restrooms, zoned central air, and an outdoor irrigation system that uses recycled stormwater.

To promote the new green building, Travis will be on hand to celebrate the grand opening. Invited are members of the chamber of commerce and city officials, including City Councilors and Mayor Bill Foster. The special ceremony will be at 1 p.m. Friday. The public is welcome to attend.

Co-owner Bob Aziz says that Dunkin' Donuts wants to help St. Petersburg meet its own goal  to become the first green city in America. Dunkin' Donuts is seeking LEED certification, the gold standard for energy efficiency in buildings. The new shop would become the second LEED-certified Dunkin' Donuts in St. Pete. The original one is at 7595 4th St. North. No other Dunkin' Donuts is LEED certified.

Not surprisingly, the newest Dunkin' Donuts in St. Petersburg also is just a few blocks north from a chief competitor: Starbucks. Starbucks pioneered the promotion of "socially responsible" practices  – in its global purchasing of coffee beans and other products – as a way to boost popularity with American consumers.

Is Dunkin' Donuts taking a cue from its rival? Store officials say no. But the new Dunkin' Donuts shop seems to have adopted some of the community-minded practices that is standard at Starbucks.

The Massachusetts-based Dunkin' Donuts is 62 years old. It built its reputation as a convenient place to grab a quick cup of quality coffee on the go and a freshly made doughnut. Its motto is simple: "America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods."

But this new shop seems to be moving the retailer on a different track. It has dedicated community gallery space, with public viewing through a giant plate glass window at the back of the store. The store plans to showcase local student artwork and even award scholarships.

Coffee grounds from the Dunkn' Donuts shops on 4th Street North are recycled. They are donated to a local gardening club, which uses them for composting.

"We want to be part of the community," Bob Aziz says.

It also has WiFi for consumers who want to linger over their PCs as they sip coffee, as well as gourmet baked muffins and pastries, in addition to the traditional tasty but caloric doughnuts – including glazed, sugared and Boston Kreme.

There is the "DD Smart Menu" of low-cal options and a growing line of lunch items that includes artisan sandwiches, as well as "grab and go" snacks, such as low-fat cheese sticks and fruit cups.

And the trays and trays of doughnuts? "We still love doughnuts. We're just trying to give our customers more choices," Aziz said.

On Friday, Dunkin' Donuts also will dedicate a time capsule to be mounted in a temperature-controlled box on an interior wall of the new store. Plans are to keep the time capsule sealed for 40 years.

Aziz declined to speculate on what he thinks Dunkin' Donuts or St. Petersburg will be like in the year 2052. His mind was on the present and his new store.

"As much as we want to be part of the community," Aziz said, "we want the community to be part of us."

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