Posted on 05/10/2016 2:59:52 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Chin and Jennifer Kim watched the Carl's Jr. go out of business outside their Carmel Mountain Ranch donut shop. Sesame Donuts has been in the same strip mall for 27 years, 17 of those years owned by the Kims.
The old Carl's Jr. has been going through renovations lately. It's only 50 yards away and the Chin wanted to know about their new neighbors. That's why he was shocked when a customer told them that neighbor would be a Krispy Kreme Donut Shop.
"I was surprised, I didn't believe it," said Chin. Since the word has gotten out to their customers, many are mad a large donut chain would set up so close to their favorite shop. "I can't believe what they're doing to these people," said Monte Montenarano. The Word War II veteran sits with other vets every Monday in the Kim's donut shop.
"We got a beautiful one here," said Vietnam Vet Fred DiCarlo, "why do we need that competition."
Mark Hong helped broker the deal between the property owner and Krispy Kreme. It is not managed by the same landlord that owns the Sesame Donuts building. Hong says he feels for the Kim's but says no matter what they put in the old Carl's Jr., it would conflict with someone.
But Jennifer Kim says the Krispy Kreme location is too close, even sharing the same parking lot. She knows they have loyal customers but will loyalty continue once Krispy Kreme opens its doors? They will have to wait till this Summer to find out.
But customer Walter Bush is confident, "It's going to be difficult but I think they are going to survive."
Not their Kim lucky day.
reminds me of a joke...
Krispy Kreme donuts are awful. I ate there a couple times and almost puked. Too sweet and nasty chocolate, tasted artificial. I don’t think Sesame Donuts have much to worry about, once people figure out how bad Krispy Kreme is.
No, it wouldn't. This "answer" is just contempt.
It looks like the Kims sell a different type of donut than Krispy Kreme. Hopefully it will work out for them.
The truth is that Krispy Kreme wants to be there BECAUSE the old donut shop is so successful - and so does Hong.
Chinese are often brutal in business. They survived the Chinese purges, made it over here, and now look at the entire world as nothing but a merciless jungle.
Family owned doughnut shops are generally like the old country stores where the community gathers for a good snack, some coffee, and good conversation. It’s like Cheers in a way where everyone knows your name. Cheers without the brew.
I think the overly sweet corporate flavored doughnuts put out by Krispy Kreme in their corporate hurry up, and eat your doughnut, and drink your coffee so we can seat others attitude facility will not do in the Kim’s more friendly, familiar, and welcoming store.
I’d say the Kim’s probably will have a greater variety of goodies than the corporate Krispy Kreme find profitable for their type of approach to doughnut selling as well.
Variety, and familiarity will keep the Kim’s going I think.
Big hoopla some years ago when KK entered the gas mart market. I tried a couple. Meh. The local grocery store does a better job.
No refined sugar, no grains, no processed foods
So is KK into the transgender bathroom thing?
I buy grocery store doughnuts over KK. As long as the Kim’s aren’t selling overly sweet plastic doughnuts I imagine there will be a market for both.
“”I was surprised, I didn’t believe it,”
Where on earth has this guy been for the last 30 years.
.
Subway was building other Subway shops too close to one another killing franchises.
It’s like Borders and Barns and Noble on opposite corners .It’s a game for the big franchises, I could never figure it out. Not good for either.
Just undercut KK by five or ten cents and send out lots of coupons. Eventually the market will stabilize with lower margins at both stores. My neighborhood donut shop is 75c per glazed donut, now. We could do with a donut price war here also.
Kim’s should advertise: Delicious, less calories and healthy!
The Chinese are so successful because they lack the Western concept of morality.
Their culture evolved with long periods of extreme hardship, poverty, and hunger.
For them there is no try. There is only success or starvation.
Krispy Kremes taste like crap. I suspect the Kims will survive.
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