Krispy Kreme will soon be opening in the Town & Country Shopping Center at 1900 Route 70 in Lakewood, according to a Monday announcement from JLL, which arranged the transaction. Nearly two decades after Krispy Kreme last had a store in Ocean County, it will take over what was previously a McDonald’s, complete with a drive-through window.
A Krispy Kreme franchise group, which is expanding its New Jersey footprint in Paramus, Springfield, East Rutherford and Jersey City, signed a lease for a 4,000-square-foot factory-store.
The “Home of the Original Glazed Doughnut” is set to open the new location this fall. The Lakewood factory-store will feature a “glaze waterfall” and conveyor belt, where doughnuts are made fresh right in front of customers.
The doughnut retailer has scaled its business internationally, with locations in more than 30 countries and a rapidly growing e-commerce and delivery business. The stores are known for their “Hot Doughnuts” sign, which lights up when the freshly made doughnuts are on the conveyor.
JLL Managing Director David Townes and Vice President Alana Friedman represented the tenant in the transaction. R.J. Brunelli & Co. represented the landlord, Steiner Equities.
“We are thrilled to bring this beloved doughnut shop back to the neighborhood after nearly 20 years,” Townes said. “Krispy Kreme is a dynamic addition to Town & Country Shopping Center’s retail experience, which accesses a significant population from its location right off of Route 70.”
Owned by development, management and leasing firm Steiner Equities, Town & Country Shopping Center totals 443,600 square feet and is anchored by Home Depot and Value City Furniture. Originally built in 1991, it is located just off busy Route 70, surrounded by a population of over 205,000 with an average of 41,000 vehicles passing the center every day.
