This Mass. town was once a ‘Dunkin’ desert.’ Now its official name will be Dunkin’ (for a day)

Three years ago, the town of Stow became known for being different from other Massachusetts communities in a way that any Bay Stater would find horrific — it now lacked a single Dunkin’ location.

But after suffering through years without Massachusetts’ most essential amenity, the hopeful orange and pink glow is set to begin illuminating the town once again later this month.

“I guess our prayers have been answered,” Stow Select Board Member Dan Peterson is quoted as saying in a Thursday press release.

What it’s like to be a ‘Dunkin’ desert’

With 1,037 Dunkin’ locations, Massachusetts has far and away the most of any state — not to mention enough for every municipality to have three locations. Despite this, in 2022, both of Stow’s Dunkin’ shops closed within 30 days of one another, town officials said.

News that the town had become a “Dunkin’ desert” became widely known later that year thanks to a viral social media video from WBZ Radio’s Matt Shearer. One Stow resident he interviewed revealed a shocking truth: the town’s residents were now forced to travel as much as a mile and a half to other towns just to get their daily dose of Dunkin’.

“You gotta leave the state! I mean, not the state. But you gotta leave Stow though. It’s terrible,” one resident told Shearer.

Residents of neighboring towns, such as Maynard, were also affected by Stow’s loss, Shearer reported. As Stow residents began “seeking refuge” at their Dunkin’s, traffic worsened at and around the coffee shops, slowing morning routines for miles outside of Stow.

Dunkin’ returns

But last summer, Stow’s destitute and despairing residents were given reason to hope.

Moved by their cries for relief, Mark and Megan Pesce — a couple who operate many Dunkin’ franchises in Greater Boston — purchased 108 Great Road in Stow in August 2024 with the intent of turning it into a Dunkin’, town officials said.

“As soon as we heard the two stores in Stow had closed, we wanted to fix that,” Megan Pesce is quoted as saying to Stow Select Board members.

The Lower Village Common property was once home to a Beef ‘N Ale, but the site has long sat unused following the restaurant’s closure, town officials said.

“We’re excited to be able to keep the feel — and the porch — that was the Beef ‘N Ale for so many years,” Megan Pesce told board members.

The new Dunkin’ will have another unique feature — a “Dunkin’ Desert gallery wall” that showcases “highlights” from this dark period in the town’s history.

How Stow is celebrating

In honor of the new Dunkin’s grand opening on July 24, the Pesces asked the Stow Select Board to adopt “Dunkin’” as the town’s name — just for the day, town officials said. Last week, the board unanimously voted in favor of the temporary renaming.

A celebration of Dunkin’s return to Stow is set to be held at the new location on Great Road from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 24, town officials said. Local officials and “Cuppy” — Dunkin’s official mascot — will be in attendance, and the Pesces are scheduled to give opening remarks prior to a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m.

At some point during the celebration, the Pesces will present a $5,000 check to the Stow Food Pantry in partnership with the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, town officials said. There will also be a live unveiling of the Dunkin’ Desert gallery wall, and the first 100 Dunkin’ Rewards members who order coffee at the new location will receive 100 days of free coffee.