One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Dunkin' Donuts Makes a Russian Comeback. Still None in L.A.
Photo by makelessnoise via Flickr
It comes up all the time in conversation in Los Angeles, especially if you're talking with East Coast ex-pats: Why are there still noDunkin' Donuts in Los Angeles?The international donut and coffee franchise has zero presence in California (the coffee you can buy at the grocery store doesn't count), which baffles many who swear by their sweets and caffeinated beverages. In fact, California still remains closed to development completely, perpetuating the rumors and myths. So it's kind of like adding insult to injury to hear that DD has returned to the Russian market, 11 years after they closed up shop due to a struggling economy there.
Poor sales led to the 2 Dunkin' Donuts in Russia in 1999, but now there are plans to open up 20 locations in Moscow this year, according to the Huffington Post. The franchisee for the Russian and Ukranian markets says "the number of outlets could rise to 50 within five years." Curiously enough, donuts aren't a huge draw in Russian culture, which franchisee Konstantin Petrov hopes to overcome by targeting the youth market and use social networking to promote the product.
"The U.S.-based chain operates more than 15,000 Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops in 44 countries." And none of those are in Los Angeles.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
