Why US 280 Krispy Kreme closed

If you love Krispy Kreme donuts, who doesn’t?

US 280 Krispy Kreme closed this week. This is part of a new corporate strategy to close 118 of his stores nationwide.

Krispy Kreme had its final day of business on Sunday at the corner of US 280 on Kahaba Valley Road/Highway 119, said Krispy Kreme employee Obeliah Benson.

“We found out last week,” says Benson, who worked at 280 locations and moved to Krispy Kreme’s East Lake location, which is now open.

“As we continue to implement our omnichannel model to better serve our customers and achieve long-term growth, we have closed our store at 5357 Highway 280 in Birmingham, Alabama,” the company said this week. said in a statement issued.

Krispy Kreme is closing walk-up retailers that don’t fit into the ‘omnichannel model’ with a more profitable system of hub stores that focus on selling through ‘spokes’ such as supermarkets and convenience stores. In other words, there are more places where you’ll find Krispy Kreme donuts at room temperature, but not so many places where you’ll find the “hot and fresh” deep-fried foods that are boldly advertised behind sizzling neon signs.

Benson said he was given the choice to work at the store at 8601 First Avenue North in Eastlake or the 1990 Patton Chapel Road store in Hoover.

Benson was surprised because he felt the 280 store was doing well.

“It wasn’t due to a lack of business,” Benson said.

Krispy Kreme Donut Shop opened in US 280 in July 2011. According to employees, the store’s franchise his owner Eastlake and Hoover later sold the franchise to corporate owner JAB Holding His Company.

Krispy Kreme Chief Operating Officer Josh Charlesworth said in an earnings call with investors this summer that 118 Krispy Kreme stores will be closing.

With fewer and fewer donut specialty stores, the company is focusing on expanding sales through affiliated stores, including McDonald’s restaurants.