Duck Donuts is seeing a healthy level of sales, after opening in Newark during the summer lull.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the business was held on Friday for the restaurant which opened in mid-July at the former Post House and for a brief time Melt Down, a dining spot specializing in cheese sandwiches.
Owner Robin Griffith, said initial sales have been a pleasant surprise and thanked the community for its support. The business has already extended its hours to 9 p.m. after finding some customers were stopping by after closing time.
Griffith said was not sure of the initial response during a period that can be difficult for businesses in college towns. He went on to praise the efforts of the city and downtown director Ricky Nietubicz.
Taking no chances, Griffith had staffers offering doughnut samples in front of the store before it opened.
Griffith – a long-time resident of the Newark area, and partner Russell DiGilio are co-founders of the company, which takes its name from the popular resort area on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Duck Donuts was founded after DiGilio discovered a lack of fresh doughnut spots during vacation to the popular beach area. Duck makes doughnuts to order with a choice of toppings. A dining area is offered and business was brisk on the day of the ribbon cutting.
After launching the company in 2007, Duck Donuts moved onto franchising in 2013. Griffith decided Newark would be a good market for his own store after seeing the Main Street location become available.
Duck now has more than a dozen locations in an area extending from North Carolina to New Jersey, with several additional locations slated to open in coming months.
A number of locations are opening in the Washington, D.C. area.
The Main Street area is moving toward zero vacancies as businesses quickly occupy space when it becomes available. The area has been ranked as one of America’s top main streets and has been the subject of a few articles in regional publications.
Even the long-vacant former Mojo Main,- East End Cafe site, opened at the end of the July as Grain Craft Bar+Kitchen. A ribbon cutting for the business was held on Thursday.
It is too early to declare that the traditional college town summer slump that hits Main Street businesses is going away.
However, Griffith said recently learned that half-hour waits at Main Street restaurants can crop up in the summer. He learned this after deciding to hold a dinner after a training session.
