My 63 year old sister, who hasn’t driven a car in over a decade and very likely hasn’t enjoyed a Krispy Kreme doughnut in longer than that was aghast.
“I’m devastated!”
Why?
“Krispy Kreme is closed!”
Sandy, you are ridiculous. You’ve only lived here 6 years. Did you ever even go to that store?
“No, but…”
I almost ended the conversation, but I let her continue.
“When Schwinn announced they were closing their bicycle operations, I got really sad. And I hadn’t ridden a bike in 20 years either.”
Fair enough. She salvaged the argument.
The announcement last week that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts were closing their Skidaway Road location in Savannah was met with tsunami of tears across town. . And I use the word “announcement” loosely. A printed sheet of paper essentially saying “We are done here. Go to Abercorn Street.” didn’t really give this community a chance for a final visit or a moment of silence to reflect on what this proclamation meant.
Nevermind that so many of us hadn’t been in that store in years. Many years. That is not the issue here. It is the fact that another fixture on the Savannah landscape is now gone. Likely to be torn down at some point. Unless, of course, someone finds a creative way to turn it into a hotel.
That would kind of give a new meaning to “Hot and Now” huh? But I digress.
I was well aware of the fact that this store closing in Savannah was a big deal before we posted it to social media. What I didn’t expect was just how massive the emotional reaction would be. Absent an actual reason from Krispy Kreme corporate offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, the theories were flying 100 to nothing. Every smart guy and gal in Savannah absolutely knew the reason why.
“No one wants to work!” “They didn’t care and ran a business into the ground.” And of course my favorite reason “Brandon Economics.”
We also learned that Abercorn at Largo is just short of Brunswick. No one interested in driving ‘all the way out there.’
I was even thanked by email by a reader for ‘covering this tragedy.’
The reality is Krispy Kreme, founded in 1937 in Winston Salem, North Carolina, is still extremely profitable. Everywhere. But, as the smart guys with the money like to do, they’ve been evaluating the most efficient way to grow their business going forward.
What they decided to do was expand their “Hub and Spoke” model. Which is to say, one store will make doughnuts and deliver them along their ‘spokes’ to other locations.
According to Krispy Kreme, the stores without a significant number of spokes (like Skidaway Road) have been labeled “hot light theatres.” They may be popular and profitable, but they are essentially there for show. They don’t serve the greater good.
There are 118 such ‘hot light theatres’ in America and all of their days are pretty much numbered. Because they don’t have any spokes.
But, hey, lets drag politics into this. Sigh.
Ultimately, none of you really care about any of that. None of that will soften the blow of the fact that you used to go there every Saturday morning with your grandfather. The fact that the building had been there your entire life. The fact that another Savannah icon has gone the way of Williams Seafood and Johnny Harris.
Of course it hurts. Like a great song, foods and flavors evoke emotion on the regular. Especially this time of the year. Pardon me for a second while I reach into my bag of clichés.
Just remember, it’s better to have lost at love, than never to have loved at all.
Besides, in 1982, Krispy Kreme stopped being Savannah’s best doughnut anyway. That distinction has for 40 years now belonged to Baker’s Pride on Derenne Avenue.
I stopped in over the weekend to rekindle my romance with these doughnuts and I was not disappointed. The line at the counter on a Saturday morning proved me right.
The look on the young man’s face when I asked him if I could take a picture with a few trays of his doughnuts during the Saturday morning rush was priceless.
“You know you picked probably the worst time of the day to do this.” He said.
“I know” I said. “But I need to save Savannah anymore heartbreak over the loss of our doughnuts.”
Then I bought a half dozen. And saved one for my sister.
It’s going to be OK, everyone. I promise.
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22 thoughts on “Savannah’s Sweet Tooth Left with a Sour Taste”
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Two things Jesse. First, that Krispy Kreme building is not their first location. They were originally located farther south on Skidaway where I used to go out of my way on my way to work at the Bargain Corner for doughnuts and cold milk in 1963. Second, I don’t know if you know the prompter for the founding of Baker’s Pride. Jack Hood who, along with his wife JoElla, at the time, launched Baker’s Pride on Waters avenue in the small strip center near 67th street because he was one of the air traffic controllers that President Reagan fired in 1982.
Keep up the great work Jesse. You are by far the best local TV personality Savannah has. As a matter of fact over the last 20 years I have paid less and less attention to all others. To the point that I have no idea if they are still in the area. But “Eat it and Like it” should be national. You really know how to invite us in as a friend and take us on a journey together. That’s what makes you different and great.
That was fun Jesse, thanks. Here’s my favorite line: “Every smart guy and gal in Savannah absolutely knew the reason why.”
I remember when they still fried them in lard. We would pick up a bag of Krispy Kremes and a sac of Krystals on the way to the beach. The ultimate combo in unhealthy eating when cholesterol didn’t exist yet. We were happy then. Now everything you eat gives you guilt and worry. You could enjoy life then.
Yes, there are other places to get great doughnuts. That said, a Krispy Kreme is a KK, and there are no substitutes.
Jesse, In the late 1950’s we would catch the YMCA bus at the park on Emory Dr. In Bacon Park, about 8 of us from the neighborhood. After a trip downtown to Drayton Street for pool time at the Y the bus would stop at Kk for penny doughnut holes and 5 cent doughnuts. If you had .25 cents you were a happy kid. Miss those days……
Nice article Jesse . Another reason not talked about is not investing in our communities. The more we invest in local business the more reason they have to stay. Online spending may destroy local busines as we know it.
When I was in elementary school and that was a very long time ago about 75 years, there was a one-room doughnut shop that called itself Krispy Kreme on Waters Ave. You could walk in the door and watch the person making them. They were either 5 cents each or perhaps 2 for 5 cents. Exactly like the ones I much later bought at that franchise. I have always wondered if there was a connection.
I don’t even live in Savannah anymore, and my heart was broken!! It’s hard to let go of the old stompin’ grounds!!
Bakers pride is good no doughnut, but I grew up with me and my Dad eating doughnuts and coffee there talking to the other contractor there before we started work, and I don’t care Krispy Kremes are the best. Shame on them for closing that store!
The real reason KK on Skidaway is closing, along with others, is because people without tastebuds still choose to buy donuts from the fake KKs like the one at Tanger outlets in Pooler, and they think they’re getting the real deal, but all theyre getting is reheated product. To put it short, KK is slowly turning into Dunkin.
The property was not owned by KK. The guy who started KK here owned the property & leased to KK. Charles D. who ran KK here for many years.
Ewww Bakers pride is disgusting. What a horrible unfactworthy thing to say that Baker’s Pride is Savannahs fav.
The one in Hinesville, GA is gone as well!
Fun article.
Yep, KK on Skidaway was a mainstay snackshack for my family forever…..
Until now. Have to drive almost to Brunswick, I guess. And I live in Bluffton now!
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
As stated by multiple people that they had not in fact been in the store in years would have had a play on the closure, why get upset if you didn’t help keep the lights on. That doesn’t make any since to me, you can’t blame it on other reasons when you are heart broken it’s closed yet never contributed to it in the past few years. Restaurants, stores and more thrive from customers, they can’t just run on “history” of a place to remain open. This should be a lesson. If you truly value a place, store or location then visit it. Contribute, shop and so on.
My family and I frequent KK often and enjoy the selection. Glazed is still a warm favorite. However, this location put the nails in it’s own coffin. The donuts were under cooked and the glazed tasted and felt as thought it was held over from the previous week. I realize donuts aren’t eaten for their health benefits but at least cook them correctly and keep the glazed fresh.
Location on Abercorn still has good glazed!!
This is one of the most obese articles I’ve ever read. Love Jesus now. Don’t cave in to gluttony. Lift weights.
Ok now this don’t make any sense by taking Krispy K. Out of business like this. that place was heaven away from heaven somebody is Madd at these doughnuts for no apparent reason. Now iam one that is mad then anyone could ever be. When the feeling mine you I said a feeling that’s how good those doughnuts is it give you a feeling of wanting when you don’t evenknow whyyou just want them so who ever made the decision of shutting down the door way to heaven and back to earth will be punish.(NONSENSE)
The reason wasn’t people not wanting to work. One of my renters worked they corporate cut everyone’s hours two weeks before closing the location and told no one.
KK is #1! No substitutions!!!!