Duck Donuts Opens National Corporate Training Facility and Store in Central Pennsylvania on July 1
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (PRWEB) June 30, 2016 -- Russ DiGilio, founder and owner of Duck Donuts Franchising Company LLC, is pleased to announce the opening of the Duck Donuts national corporate training facility in central Pennsylvania including a new store for his nationally acclaimed Warm, delicious & made to order!™ donuts on Friday, July 1, at 6:30 a.m. Duck Donuts leased the former Verizon building at 6230 Carlisle Pike in Mechanicsburg and transformed the facility into the iconic beach-themed donut shop.
“We’re thrilled to make Mechanicsburg our corporate home and share the Duck Donuts experience with central Pennsylvania. This is my hometown, and we look forward to offering our signature Warm, delicious & made to order!™ donuts that have become famous nationally, while also investing in our local community and region. One of our first orders of business was to join the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce, as well as West Shore Chamber and Harrisburg Regional Chamber/CREDC,” says DiGilio.
“Boasting 22,000 vehicles per day, the highly visible Carlisle Pike corridor is a perfect site for Duck Donuts. Cumberland County is the fastest-growing region in the Commonwealth, and we’re honored to contribute to Hampden Township’s growth,” says DiGilio.
“The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is proud to support Pennsylvania’s entrepreneurs and job creators. We welcome Russ DiGilio and the Duck Donuts Franchising team to Pennsylvania and are thrilled that every franchise owner in the country will be trained in the Keystone State,” said Sheri Collins, Deputy Secretary, Technology & Innovation, DCED. “Entrepreneurs like Russ, who embody passion, energy, and ingenuity, are what make Pennsylvania a global competitor. Entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses bring new ideas, tools, technology, and jobs to Pennsylvania, creating opportunities throughout our state.”
“We’re excited to welcome Duck Donuts to the Carlisle Pike,” says George Book, president of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce. “Hampden Township is very pro-growth and to see the renovation of an existing structure transform into a family friendly food destination is a win-win for us.”
David Black, president of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, sees break-out possibilities. “The organic growth propelling Duck Donuts is indicative of Pennsylvania’s robust small business climate. I have long been a loyal fan of Duck Donuts in the Outer Banks and love that their national headquarters will be established in central Pennsylvania.”
The Mechanicsburg location is one of 82 stores contracted in the Duck Donuts enterprise and will include a 1,800 SF Duck Donuts retail storefront, as well as a 600 SF training and franchise education facility.
DUCK DONUTS IS GROWING IN PENNSYLVANIA
The path to Duck Donuts franchise ownership has a common thread: “When our family vacationed in the Outer Banks, more than one friend said, ‘You have to go to Duck Donuts.’ I had never heard of this store, but we visited and became instant fans. We never tasted anything like Duck Donuts. And then we returned the next four mornings!” said Andrew Jarusinsky, new franchise owner of three Pittsburgh locations.
“I have spent my career in corporate human resources consulting, and when I noticed a sign in the Outer Banks store last year, I knew that I wanted to take this product home to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is one of the top three cities with residents visiting the Outer Banks and it is the perfect business opportunity for me,” said Jarusinsky.
That story is also similar for Todd Bidelman, the new Lancaster Duck Donuts franchise owner who opened on Fruitville Pike in May. Janette Haas signed the contract to open a Duck Donuts in State College and more locations in Pennsylvania are being considered.
Marissa DiGilio, Training & Operations, will oversee the Duck Donuts national corporate training facility in Mechanicsburg. “Bringing our new franchisees under one roof to learn and experience an operational store firsthand, see the brand come to life, and study processes together will be a tremendous business advantage for them and shorten their learning curves,” Ms. DiGilio says.
Each franchisee will visit the Duck Donuts Mechanicsburg training facility at least twice for extended training sessions. To date, Duck Donuts has created more than 1,000 new jobs through their franchising growth and is slated to crest 100 contracted stores by year-end. Each Duck Donuts creates between 25-40 new jobs.
“Our organic growth transcends the delightful experience of enjoying our warm, fresh donuts. I’m humbled that our product has ignited a passion in individuals to pursue their own dreams of business ownership,” says DiGilio.
DUCK DONUTS FACTS
● Mechanicsburg Duck Donuts is the second store to open in Pennsylvania
● Three stores are slated to open in Pittsburgh and one in State College as soon as locations are chosen
● Founder and Franchising Company Owner Russ DiGilio is from Mechanicsburg, PA, and has grown the company as a family business
● The growth of Duck Donuts franchises is entirely organic and in response to market demand
● Number of Duck Donuts open and contracted to be open as of June 30 is 82
● By year-end 2016, there will be 40-45 Duck Donuts open in the U.S.
● By year-end 2016, there will be a total of 100 stores opened and/or contracted to open
● Each Duck Donuts creates 25-40 new jobs
● To date, Duck Donuts Franchising has created more than 1,000 new jobs
Donuts are made fresh to order 7 days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday; 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For Grand Opening specials and donut topping updates, visit the Duck Donuts – Carlisle Pike – Mechanicsburg, PA Facebook page, or connect with us on the web at DuckDonuts.com.
ABOUT DUCK DONUTS
Duck Donuts was founded in 2006 by Russ DiGilio in Duck, North Carolina. His intention? To solve a family vacation problem: “Our family wanted a place to buy Warm, delicious & made to order!™ donuts, and when we couldn’t find one, we decided to start our own.”
By 2011, Duck Donuts had expanded to four Outer Banks locations and the donut business was so successful that DiGilio was continuously approached about franchise opportunities and by fans who begged for a Duck Donuts in their communities. The first franchise opened in Williamsburg, VA, in 2013 and there are now over 25 open franchise locations.
Future Duck Donuts store openings are scheduled for:
Woodbridge, VA – Summer 2016
Fredericksburg, VA – Summer 2016
Fayetteville, NC – Summer 2016
Orlando, FL – September 2016
Bridgewater, NJ – TBD
Charleston, SC – TBD
Pittsburgh, PA – TBD
State College, PA – TBD
Columbus, OH – TBD
THE DUCK DONUTS EXPERIENCE
“We discovered that the most powerful marketing advantage we have is the aroma of warm donuts wafting from every store. Our light vanilla cake donut is a little crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, made fresh right in front of you, hand-dipped in hot icing, and sprinkled with your choice of delicious toppings and drizzles. It’s that simple.”
Children love to stand on the strategically placed step in the waiting area, allowing them to see the entire process, as the donut machine cooks and carries their donuts down the line, where they are dipped, topped, packaged, and served warm in the box. Duck Donuts serves its own signature coffee blends—Riptide Roast, Light House Blend, and Sunset Pier Decaf with new special seasonal flavors changing throughout the year—and offers breakfast options, as well as catering services. Indoor and outdoor seating is available at most locations. For customers who don’t yet have a location in their neighborhood, or wish to gift a delicious box of Duck Donuts to someone far away, order Duck Donuts specialty “Flash Frozen” donuts at http://www.DuckDonuts.com.
To learn more or to share your Duck Donuts experience, Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, or send us a Tweet.
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Anne Deeter Gallaher, Deeter Gallaher Group LLC, http://www.duckdonuts.com, +1 717.525.8042, [email protected]
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