Duck Donuts Announces Wilmington, North Carolina, Location for Warm, Delicious & Made to Order Donuts

Russ DiGilio, founder and owner of Duck Donuts Franchising Company LLC, has selected the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina, as the 20th Tar Heel State site for his nationally acclaimed donut franchise. Slated for a mid-June opening, the new store will be located in the Mayfaire Community Center at 6801 Parker Farm Drive, Unit 100, around the corner from Harris Teeter.

"Named the 'Best American Riverfront' in 2014 by USA Today, Wilmington is a celebrated Coast Guard city and a central hub for American film and television production. We are thrilled to bring our Duck Donuts tradition, beach-town heritage, and family friendly brand to such a historic city. We are honored by the tremendous social media support in advance of our opening and to be welcomed by friends and foodies in the Wilmington community," says DiGilio. "We hope to add to this region's bounty of extraordinary experiences."

The entrepreneurial spirit behind this Duck Donuts launch are veterinarians and franchise owners Jeff and Stacy Ward. "We enjoy making people happy, whether through caring for their pets or delivering warm, fresh donuts in a fun atmosphere. Jeff has always thought it would be a fun idea to have an ice cream truck-until he discovered Duck Donuts," says Stacy Ward.

"Our family was visiting Cary, North Carolina, when we noticed a Duck Donuts store across the street with a line around the building. None of us had ever heard of this donut shop, but we were intrigued by what would attract customers to patiently wait in such a line. We ventured over to see what all of the excitement was about. An hour later, we were each three donuts deep and the rest is history!" says Jeff Ward.

The Wards contacted DiGilio shortly after their "love at first Duck Donuts" experience. The path to owning a Duck Donuts franchise is becoming a familiar and similar story with business owners from every industry.

"As veterinarians, we focus on quality, care, attention to detail, and service. We were excited to find a deliciously unique franchise that has the same focus for their brand. The executive team at Duck Donuts is a pleasure to work with, and we are excited to share the Duck Donuts experience with Wilmington," says Stacy.

"Wilmington has a thriving food scene to offer residents and tourists. We're looking forward to being a valued part of the community and to immersing ourselves in the thrill of local sports and history, as well as the fast-paced vibe of four local colleges and universities," DiGilio says.

The Wilmington, NC location is the 60th planned store in the Duck Donuts enterprise and will include a 1,500 SF Duck Donuts retail store with indoor and outdoor seating.

Donuts are made fresh to order seven days a week. For Grand Opening specials, hours of operation, and coffee and donut topping updates, visit the Wilmington Facebook page and connect with us on the web at DuckDonuts.com

ABOUT DUCK DONUTS
Duck Donuts was founded in 2006 by Russ DiGilio in Duck, North Carolina. His intention? To solve a family vacation problem: "Our family wanted a place to buy warm, delicious, made-to-order donuts, and when we couldn't find one, we decided to start our own."

By 2011, Duck Donuts had expanded to four Outer Banks locations and the donut business was so successful that DiGilio was continuously approached about franchise opportunities and by fans who begged for a Duck Donuts in their communities. The first franchise opened in Williamsburg, VA, in 2013 and there are now 22 open franchise locations.

Future Duck Donuts store openings are scheduled for:
Lancaster, PA - May 2016
Mechanicsburg, PA - May 2016
Avalon, NJ - May 2016
Woodbridge, VA - Summer 2016
Fredericksburg, VA - Summer 2016
Fayetteville, NC - Summer 2016
Orlando, FL - September 2016
Bridgewater, NJ - TBD
Charleston, SC - TBD

THE DUCK DONUTS EXPERIENCE
"We discovered that the most powerful marketing advantage we have is the aroma of warm donuts wafting from every store. Our light vanilla cake donut is a little crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, made fresh right in front of you, hand-dipped in hot icing, and sprinkled with your choice of delicious toppings and drizzles. It's that simple."
Children love to stand on the strategically placed step in the waiting area, allowing them to see the entire process, as the donut machine cooks and carries their donuts down the line, where they are dipped, topped, packaged, and served warm in the box. Duck Donuts serves its own signature coffee blends-Riptide Roast, Light House Blend, and Sunset Pier Decaf with new special seasonal flavors changing throughout the year-and offers breakfast options, as well as catering services. Indoor and outdoor seating is available at most locations. For customers who don't have a Duck Donuts in their neighborhood, or wish to gift a delicious box of Duck Donuts to someone far away, order specialty "Flash Frozen" donuts.

To learn more or to share your Duck Donuts experience, Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, or send us a Tweet.