Dunkin' Donuts Returns to Chattanooga Despite the Poor Economy

Wednesday morning will once again be time to make the donuts.  After weeks of training, the crew at Dunkin Donuts will open the doors at 5:00am at 5311 Highway 153 and start serving frosted, sprinkled, sugar coated, and crème filled breakfast cakes.

Franchise owner David Baumgartner says "we'll have 700 dozen donuts ready Wednesday morning for those that want to stop by and we really want everyone to try the coffee."

Baumgartner believes now to be the perfect time to open a new business, citing the inexpense of the product and low overhead.  "There's a lot of people looking for jobs so employment is good, the contractors are hungry so you can get a lot less expensive building rates than a year ago and landlords are interested in filling their buildings."

Baumgartner expects to employ about four dozen workers at this location, including Ashley Smith, who joined the team early.  "I was so excited because I've been looking for a full time job for a long time, no where is hiring fulltime, everything is part time," says Smith.

She's been working three jobs to stay afloat and hopes to earn enough hours to cutback to two.   "Three or four hours a week just does not pay your bills," says Smith.

Dunkin Donuts is the tenth largest franchise in the world and serves more coffee by the cup than any other retailer, even Starbucks.

Baumgartner will be opening three other locations in the months to come, including stores in Ooltewah, Cleveland, and Fort Oglethorpe.  He says if the market allows, he'd like to open 12-locations.