Western Pennsylvania's first rebranded Dunkin' opens in Pleasant Hills

Dunkin’ opened its first rebranded store in Western Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

No “Donuts” here in Pleasant Hills. Just Dunkin’.

“We all know that America runs on Dunkin’ and we’re excited to make it easier for Western Pennsylvania residents to run on Dunkin’ too,” Anthony Braun, chief operating and financial officer of Heartland Restaurant Group, told the Tribune-Review.

It’s the first of its kind in the region. The Dunkin’ chain refers to it as a next generation concept store. Others are to follow by the end of the year, Braun said.

By the end of 2019, there will be similar stores in Beaver, Blairsville and Bloomfield and possibly Cranberry, Braun said. The group will also open two Baskin-Robbins ice cream stores in Squirrel Hill and Bloomfield. Each year, five to six Dunkin’ Donuts will be remodeled to Dunkin’ stores.

“We are not just doughnuts anymore,” said Braun, whose group opened its first store 11 years ago.

The atmosphere is more cutting edge, he said. The Pleasant Hills spot on Clairton Boulevard was chosen as the first because it is strategically placed among other stores in the area, customers asked for it and the traffic patterns made it accessible, he added.

He said doughnut sales originally made up 65% of sales, but currently they account less than 30% . Beverage sales are over 50%, Braun said. Regular coffee with cream and sugar continues to be the top seller but the iced beverages market is growing rapidly.

The stores are also seeing a diverse demographic from children to senior citizens and everyone in between, Braun said.

In addition to doughnuts, Dunkin offers bagel and English muffin sandwiches and drinks such as cocoa mocha latte and a cosmic coolata with a combination of strawberry and grape.

People still come for the doughnuts, said Heidi Geisman, of West Mifflin, who is district manager and general manager of the new Dunkin’ and was one of the first employees hired 11 years ago.

“But now, there is so much more,” she said. “I love what this company is all about. They care about you and there is advancement here. They have evolved with the times.”

Deanna Moore couldn’t wait until it opened. She works for Triangle Payroll Services down the street, and brought three of her employees to the store.

“We were so excited for this store to open,” she said. “It is so nice and bright and I like that you can see the doughnuts up close. My daughter Jordan would love this because when the doughnuts were behind the counter they were hard to see.”

The new Dunkin’ is the 52nd Western Pennsylvania store owned by Heartland Restaurant Group. Thirty new jobs are being created as a result of the new location.

To celebrate the grand opening, all customers who visit the new Pleasant Hills location through April 30 can enter to win free coffee for a year. The prize will be awarded in the form of a gift card that will be valid at any of Heartland Restaurant Group’s 52 Western Pennsylvania locations.

Heartland Restaurant Group is searching for people who have a first, middle or last name of Dunkin, Duncan or any other similar spelling. Those who do can stop by the new Pleasant Hills Dunkin’ and show proof of their name (driver’s license, passport, or birth certificate required) through April 30. Those who qualify will receive one free small regular coffee and a free doughnut.