There are over 10.000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants around the world. (They recently opened one in Xi’An, China.) This month one of their newest locations is here in downtown Annapolis, in the former location of Pad Thai. I’m not a fan. While I admit to stopping at Dunkin’ Donuts while on road trips, lured by their sweet sticky donuts and freshly brewed coffee, we have so many better local alternatives on the block of West Street above Church Circle and nearby. Let the coffee wars begin! For one thing, their sign looks ugly in historic Annapolis, for another I personally like a stronger blend of bean. I’m not a Starbucks fan, but I do like the dark blend served by City Dock Cafe and the individually brewed cups of coffee served at Pronto. I’ve been known to enjoy a cup of Joe at Hard Bean Cafe, surrounded by all those books. Across the street from Dunkin’ Donuts is Pony Expresso that brews a fine cup of coffee, a very local enterprise, and then of course there is one of my favorite places for breakfast meetings– 49 West which serves good coffee and a pleasing breakfast in a nice setting with local artwork and plenty of reading material. Head up the street away from downtown and Metropolitan serves a great cup of coffee and breakfast to accompany that coffee. (Try their croissants.)
So just to review the choices downtown: two City Dock Cafes- one near City Dock and the other on Maryland Avenue, Hard Bean near City Dock, Two Starbucks- one in the basement of Maryland Inn and the other in the City Dock area, Pony Express Coffee Shop and then coffee and full breakfast at Chick and Ruth’s or 49 West. Did I leave anyone out? The point is, we didn’t need another coffee place and particularly not a national chain. It is bad enough to have all those Starbucks around. Just so no to all this globalization, particularly when it comes to coffee. Although I am forced to admit that if we don’t have global trade, I wouldn’t have any coffee to drink! My favorite brew comes from Sumatra Indonesia, and that’s on the other side of the world. Ah well, I’m still not going to patronize the downtown Dunkin’ Donuts and I’m hoping they will go the way of the former Micky D’s in that very same location. 
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Nadja Maril, Writer & Author 
Nadja, is this small business locally owned? Franchises usually have a local person running them – and I know you support local local local – so it’s a franchise – but it’s also a free country. Coffee wars indeed – we consumers will pick what we want.
I’m staying out of the store because of the donuts!
(:-)
Mary
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Good points Mary. I am drawn to stronger coffee to unless I have to pick up a Box of Joe with doughnuts for a group…or on a road trip like you, Nadja. I wish every single business on West Street and Main Street the good fortune of success. Hhhmmm, maybe that’ll mean fewer empty stores. Joanne
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Ladies- your points are well taken. You are right that everyone and every business deserves an opportunity to succeed. I just wonder what kind of thought went into putting a national franchise in that particular location. And as I write this I remember that I left out the Seven Eleven that has opened in the former location of the Exxon Station just up the block across from Loews Hotel, also another location selling coffee!
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Politics and economics aside, I also love the atmosphere and coffee served at The Annapolis Bookstore on Maryland Avenue (even though the coffee is a just tucked in as a little benefit to visitors….). Thanks for the piece, Nadja!
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I agree with you, Nadja! Another coffee shop is not what we needed. I don’t like DD either…way too weak for me. However, it could be worse…New England–especially MA–has a DD on every block!
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