Krispy Kreme Is Aiming for a Major NYC Comeback With Five More Stores

Krispy Kreme is majorly expanding in NYC

Dunkin’ Donuts rival Krispy Kreme is continuing its New York City expansion in a big way. Following the announcement of a Times Square flagship location last summer, the chain announced today it will bring five more stores to the city over the course of 2020. The company’s five other stores will be located in the Financial District, the Bronx near Fordham University, Harlem, and the Upper West Side. It’s the largest New York City expansion in more than a decade for the company, beloved nationally for its glazed donuts served right off the conveyor belt.

At its peak, Krispy Kreme operated six stores in New York City, but in 2009 the national franchise was forced to close all but its Penn Station location. The national doughnut franchise kicks off its expansion tomorrow when it reopens its remodeled Penn Station store. Their Times Square location — a sprawling 4,500-square-foot storefront with high ceilings, stadium seating, and whispers of new menu items — is expected to open in May.

A Colombian-inspired bakery is coming to Bushwick

The team behind Brooklyn’s favorite boozy dessert bar Butter & Scotch is planning to open a new Colombian-inspired bakery at 53 Rockaway Avenue, on the border of Bushwick and Bed-Stuy, this spring. The second project from the Butter & Scotch team, named Love, Nelly, will pay homage to general manager Stephanie Callardo’s upbringing in Cartagena, Colombia with a new menu featuring tres leches cake, Colombian-style shaved ice, and alfajores (think: tres leches cookies dipped in chocolate). Love, Nelly will also bring new breakfast options to the neighborhood with homemade empanadas and ham, egg, and cheese arepas.

To help fund the opening of their new bakery, owners Keavy Landreth and Allison Kave turned to Kickstarter — not just as a way to fundraise, but also to get community buy-in. “As a neighborhood bakery, we want the community to feel proud and invested in this new space,” the owners wrote on their Kickstarter page. Money donated towards Love, Nelly’s $25,000 goal will go towards the space’s design “from Colombian-inspired lighting, colorful tiles, cozy benches, tables, and of course, a big Love, Nelly neon sign.”

In other news:

— A Bronx staple for Southern food had its gas shut off abruptly last November, leaving Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food with no choice but to close its doors for the year. In the meantime, owner Millie Peartree is staging pop-ups across New York City. The first is this Sunday at 4 p.m. in the William Hotel in Murray Hotel.

— Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spot Nisí has reopened at 250 West 47th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues. The original West Village location closed last spring before relocating to the theater district.

— Chicago-based pizza chain Uno Pizzeria & Grill closed its doors after more than three decades in Bayside, Queens. The owners did not cite a reason for closing, but BaysideLiveTV speculated that it had to do with complications in renegotiating a lease.

— Modern Middle Eastern restaurant Lamalo will be launching brunch service this weekend. The $25 per person menu is designed to be tackled family-style, with classic dishes like shakshuka, muesli, and malawach.

— An Industry City izayaka now does lunch. Wakuwaku, which neighbors Japan Village market, has several lunch sets and plans to offer tapas-style dinners come springtime.

— Sweetgreen signed a lease for a new 3,500-square-foot location at 10 Grand Central slated to open this summer. The fast-casual bowl restaurant now has more than 100 locations, with plans to double that number over the next three years.

— Tacombi is set to open its first Upper East Side location just in time for summer. The popular Mexican taqueria chain — whose tacos de al pastor Eater critic Ryan Sutton deemed “warm and supple” — signed a 15-year lease at 202 East 70th Street.

— Doctors at NYU Langone found that eating mushrooms (of the magic variety) can reduce cancer-related mental health issues in the long term.

— Fearing the end, Fairway faithfuls are starting to stock up on their favorite products.

— We don’t make the rules: