June 30, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
A new NextGen Dunkin' is opening on Lincoln Street in Hingham around mid-July, featuring an open design, historical Hingham Shipyard murals on the front and side of the building, signature cold beverages delivered through an innovative tap system, plant-based wake-up wraps, ham and cheese rollups, and don't forget the old favorites -- coffee and donuts!
The owners of the new restaurant, brothers Victor and Octavio Carvalho, are enthusiastic about its opening. The Hingham Dunkin' is one of nine they own on the South Shore -- two in Weymouth and six in Quincy -- including the Dunkin' located on the site of the original 1950 Dunkin' Donuts on the Southern Artery, previously owned by their father, Jose, starting in 1979. The brothers learned the business from their father.
"We love being in Hingham," Victor Carvalho said. "It's such a tight-knit community and a very friendly and welcoming town with different dimensions, from its historic buildings to the waterfront."
The new Dunkin' is located at the former site of Weber Dodge -- and most recently, an auto detailing shop -- at 315 Lincoln St. in front of the Avalon II apartments at the Hingham Shipyard. The Dunkin' and Avalon sidewalks are connected for easy access by residents.
The Dunkin' at the AJ's gas station and convenience store, previously owned by the Carvalhos at 179 Lincoln St., closed this past weekend. According to Carvalho, former employees are looking forward to joining the team at the new Dunkin', located just down the street, so customers will see some familiar faces.
"This is a more visible location and we outgrew the old one," Carvalho explained.
Outdoor patio
When the shop opens -- with a target date of July 15 -- there will be takeout and curbside pickup for those "on the go," and outdoor patio seating only at first, due to COVID-19 restrictions. There is also some indoor seating that will be available at a later time.
Social distancing and other guidelines will be followed. "We're here to cater to our customers in the way they wish to be served," Carvalho said. "We want our guests to feel comfortable and safe when stopping by."
The new Dunkin' model, incorporated into the new Hingham shop, is built around speedier service and convenience, while offering more diverse quality food and beverages.
The tap system serves eight consistently-cold beverages, including coffees, iced teas, cold-brew coffee, and nitro-infused cold brew coffee. Crew members will use top-quality flavor-maximizing espresso machines to create hand-crafted drinks to order.
Also featured will be Matcha tea, flavorful and refreshing frozen drinks -- including coffee and hot chocolate -- and strawberry, pineapple, and vanilla bean coolattas, all made to order.
Tasty offerings
Menu items include the Beyond Sausage® wake-up wrap consisting of a plant-based patty, egg, and Wisconsin-aged white cheddar in a flour tortilla.
The ham and cheese rollups feature extra-lean Black Forest ham and cheese rolled up in flour tortillas.
The veggie egg-white omelet sandwich includes egg whites, red and green bell peppers, spinach, olive oil, and onions, topped with a slice of Wisconsin-aged white cheddar served on an oven-toasted multigrain thin.
And don't forget the donuts! Thinking about Dunkin' -- and the wide variety of donuts still offered over the years in addition to all the new offerings -- often brings a smile to customers' faces, Carvalho said, harking back to simpler times when families enjoyed donuts after Sunday mass or during a ball game, or going to a local Dunkin' with their parents as children.
"We don't want people to forget about the donuts because the word was dropped from our name!" he said. The traditional chocolate-frosted, jelly, glazed, strawberry-frosted with sprinkles, butternut, and Boston Creme varieties remain among customer favorites -- along with the limited-time specialty donuts that are available from time to time.
Community member
Beyond what the shop has to offer, Carvalho said, "We want to be part of the community, eventually sponsoring different events and activities and building relationships once things settle down."
The hours will be flexible at first, working around COVID-19 limitations. However, the restaurant is permitted for the hours of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The parking lot has been reconfigured to accommodate as many customers as possible, with the best-possible traffic flow pattern in place.
The new shop features the NextGen Dunkin' design, with an "approachable, positive, energetic atmosphere" that remains true to the Dunkin' Donuts heritage. The look of the new Dunkin' is compatible with the surrounding area -- including the Shipyard. As with other Dunkin' shops, the speed and convenience that distinguishes the Dunkin' brand continues to be offered.
Shipyard murals
In cooperation with the planning board during the review process, a plan for the murals took shape. One features the Army/Navy flag that was once flown at the Shipyard, while the other depicts one of the ships that was built there during its heydey. "The history of the Shipyard is such a big part of Hingham, and we embrace that," Carvalho said.
Once inside, customers will be greeted by a black brick wall featuring the logo, "Hingham runs on Dunkin'; open ceilings for a rustic look; a forward-facing pastry case; and some touches of the traditional Dunkin' colors within a setting of more relaxing-feeling tones.
"We're looking forward to opening and welcoming our customers with open arms," Carvalho said.