The opening at 1281 Knapp Road had people buying the dozens to eat later
Doughnut fans came out in numbers Tuesday morning for the long-awaited grand opening of Krispy Kreme in the Montgomery Square Shopping Center in Montgomeryville.
The opening at 1281 Knapp Road was so popular, it created a traffic jam trying to enter the parking lot, with a line wrapped around the building. Security guards were managing the drive-through and movement of people inside the store, according to Facebook status updates.
Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation Ambassador and Autism Public Motivator Ben Hartranft, of Lansdale, was the one of the first customers in line and received a Krispy Kreme golden ticket, which provides a free dozen doughnuts for a year.
"The Krispy Kreme was amazing. The staff was very nice. They are a welcome inclusive community ever since I was a kid,” Hartranft said. "I really loved Krispy Kreme and I hope they do more stuff for special-needs and hiring people with autism.”
Customers praised the smiling and helpful employees, who kept their cool throughout the chaotic scene. It took customers about 15 minutes to get in and out by 7 a.m. and about 45 minutes by 10 a.m., prompting staffers to give out doughnuts to those waiting in line.
By Tuesday night, the lines were still long and the cars were still 20 deep at the drive-through. Even the interior was packed, and the excitement was still felt in the air.
Krispy Kreme’s new location has added about 80 people to the Montgomery Township workforce. In the last year, they demolished the former Applebee’s at the site and constructed a new 6,500-square-foot location.
Another franchise-owned Krispy Kreme used to exist about a little more than a decade ago right up the street at 981 Bethlehem Pike, past the Route 202 overpass, at the former AT&T location at Bethlehem Pike and Garden Golf Boulevard.
Customers loved how the doughnuts melted in their mouths but were worried that they may eventually price themselves out of business. Some Facebook commenters believed it may last as long as the first one. Others commented that the costs for doughnuts seemed a bit pricey at about $32 for two dozen doughnuts.
However, some online commenters claimed Yum Yum Bake Shops was still their favorite, located only three miles up the road in Hatfield Township. This seemed especially true when customers compared doughnuts to doughnuts.
Krispy Kreme is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with extended hours to 11 p.m. on Fridays. They are closed on Mondays.
This article was previously posted on the old North Penn Now site, and was republished here on April 2, 2024.
