Planners continue hearing on Route 70 Krispy Kreme

Planners continue hearing
on Route 70 Krispy Kreme
Franchise operator: Brick store would actually be
the first in New Jersey
By Karl Vilacoba
Staff Writer

A planned Krispy Kreme donut shop would include trademark features such as a visible donut assembly line and the so-called "hot sign" if approved, according to the project’s applicants.

Brick Planning Board hearings continued Dec. 11 on the proposed Krispy Kreme site and featured testimony by its prospective operator, Rocco Fiorentino.

As part of Freedom Rings, LLC, a company in charge of expanding the franchise’s operations in the southern Pennsylvania market, Fiorentino was able to deliver specifics about the operations and characteristics of the store.

Fiorentino corrected a statement made during the Nov. 13 hearing by the project’s attorney, Mark Troncone, of King, Kitrick, Jackson & Troncone, of Brick.

"In the previous hearing, Mr. Troncone stated [the Krispy Kreme] would be the second in the state," Fiorentino said. "It would absolutely be the first in the state."

If the plan passes, the Krispy Kreme building would be located along Route 70 between the existing Crown Bank and T.G.I. Friday’s.

One item of discussion was the store’s trademark neon "hot donuts now" signs which would be lit from 5:30-11 a.m. and 5:30-11 p.m. One would be placed in the store window and another below a 25-foot-high, bow-tie-shaped Krispy Kreme sign. Typically, the board has discouraged the use of neon signs in the township, but the applicants stressed the feature’s value.

"It’s as important as our signature product. It’s what makes Krispy Kreme Krispy Kreme; it’s essential," Fiorentino said.

Customers would be able to watch the franchise’s trademark hot glazed donuts being prepared through a glass-cased assembly line in the store, he said. Krispy Kreme makes only donuts, not sandwiches or other foods.

"Our menu is strictly our 16 varieties of donuts, our coffee offerings, milk, juice and other soft drinks," Fiorentino said.

During the late-night hours, the store would be open only with a drive-through window in its rear.

Given the chain’s position as the potential first store to open in the state, board chairman Robert Scherer asked what preparations would be made to handle the potential customers drawn by any initial buzz.

"I’m not looking to have cars stacking out on Route 70, and I was hoping you might have a plan in place," Scherer said.

The applicants said they would reach out to the police for advice if the plan were approved. The results of traffic studies of several Krispy Kremes in Florida and California were also shared to give the board an idea of what typical business would look like.

Peak-hour car trips at those locations were about 90 in the mornings, 45 in the afternoon and 55 at night, according to traffic engineer Scott Kennel. Typical parking accumulations during those hours were 17, 15 and 14, he said, with many using the drive-through window. The average traffic stackings at the window were about four or five at a time, and between eight and 10 at the maximum.

Kennel said his study of the proposed site, which also hosts large Best Buy and Bed, Bath and Beyond stores, already has 580 parking spaces. About 342 were occupied during weekend peak hours.

The Brick location would probably be staffed by 18 to 30 workers in three shifts, according to Fiorentino. About 30 seats would be provided for its customers.

The board spent a brief time period dealing with plans to renovate the Friday’s restaurant. As part of a joint application with Krispy Kreme, the restaurant would enclose an existing outdoor seating area and add an 81-square-foot atrium at its entrance.

During the prior hearing, board members expressed some concerns about the atrium becoming a traffic obstacle. Project engineer Tim Lurie said the sidewalk near it would be tapered to keep it from jutting into the parking lot.

No decision was made on the application. The board and applicants will meet in a workshop session before the next, as of yet unscheduled, public hearing.