PHOTOS: Dunkin' Donuts Renovates, Adds Baskin-Robbins
No, the Dunkin' Donuts on the corner of Clark and Belmont isn't closed. It just got a major facelift and added ice cream.
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Sitting on one of the most trafficked corners in Lake View, Dunkin' Donuts recently reopened after major renovations, revealing a sleek new interior and sweet addition: ice cream.
Baskin-Robbins now joins the donut company on the corner of Belmont Avenue and Clark Street near the Belmont CTA train station. The two companies began integrating operations in 1993, according to Dunkin' Brands' website.
Building permits issued Jan. 16 estimated the four new signs on the exterior of the building would cost around $12,000. Permits weren’t required for the interior renovations.
Rumors the store closed permanently began buzzing around Jan. 15 when crews were seen gutting the donut shop. However, representatives with Dunkin' Brands said the store was simply undergoing renovations, but couldn’t give an exact timeline.
While crews continued working to apply finishing touches Wednesday afternoon, the new Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins joint shop was open for business.
This is one of five Dunkin' Donuts locations in Lake View:
- 3200 N. Clark St.
- 801 W. Diversey St.
- 3949 N. Broadway St.
- 1755 W. Addison St.
- 3000 N. Ashland Ave.
David
11:34 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I wish it closed and was redeveloped as though it was Schaumburg. A a high pedestrian traffic corner, maybe one of the highest in the city, and there is a strip mall there.
Andy Ambrosius
12:20 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
From a non-Patch, personal standpoint, I was also a little disappointed they didn't go more all-out with the construction. You're right, it's one of the highest trafficked corners on the North Side. Why not make a flagship store there or something?
The Truth
12:35 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Baskin Robbins used to be the best. Remember when they had 33 flavors at any given time? Now they might have 8 at any Dunkin Donuts (with ice chunks in it) and the clerk behind the counter gets irritated if you ask for it.
Robert Salm
12:41 pm on Friday, January 25, 2013
Boystown deserves better than this crap. There are a lot of urban planning dynamics happening in this renovation--traffic planning, major remodeling, new store signage possibly affecting the Public Way, etc. Couldn't the Alderman have forced them to redesign their store to be more pedestrian-friendly and not look like a stripmall?
Andy Ambrosius
1:01 pm on Friday, January 25, 2013
Unfortunately, because it's staying within the same zoning limits, it didn't need to come to the community for approval. They can just do it. Otherwise, I'm sure Tunney & neighborhood groups would have asked to clean up the exterior to be a bit more attractive.