I’m not too proud to admit I was wrong.
Through most of 2016, I campaigned long and loudly against the proposed Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru at 205 Second St. I wrote several strongly worded Livin’ in Liverpool columns invoking the village’s Comprehensive Plan 2025 which envisions a pedestrian-friendly village and vigorously recommends against allowing in businesses which cater to traffic.
I stand four-square behind that wisdom of the Comprehensive Plan, and I still oppose drive-thru restaurants here as a matter of principle — a principle apparently not shared by the village trustees and planners. But I must admit I was wrong about the village’s Dunkin’ drive-thru, now in its fifth month of operation at the former Seneca Savings bank site.
Dunkin’ Donuts redux
We still see car queues overflowing out onto the roadway at the Dunkins on Route 57 and elsewhere, but so far drive-thru business on Second Street has – shall we say? – stalled.
So I’ve got to admit, the new donut shop has yet to negatively impact traffic in the village. In fact, the place remains quiet as the grave.
Now I don’t normally arise with the roosters, so I haven’t personally seen the place in operation at 6:30 a.m., but a well-placed, early-rising village observer tells me that the new DD barely buzzes at breakfast-time.
As spring and summer approach, traffic’s likely to increase through the village and that could spill over at the Dunkin’ drive-thru here. But so far, local motorists have yet to wake up and smell the coffee.
Regional Donuts adieu
On the other hand, I was right when I predicted that the Regional Donut Authority in the old Ponderosa Plaza would feel the pinch.
Just before the New Year, owner Rich Lickfield closed his homey little donut shop at 207 Oswego Road.
The burly, bearded Lickfield – known as “Hoss” to his buddies – had done business at the Liverpool location for about 15 months. He’ll continue to make his famous fried cakes at Great Northern Mall and on the weekends at the Central New York Regional Market.
Lickfield declined to cite Dunkin’ Donuts as a reason for his decision. On his Facebook page, Hoss pointed to low sales totals.
“We are not going out of business,” he wrote. “We just need to find someplace that will be financially successful.”
Last word
“The small-minded and the naysayers are going to forecast gloom and doom. Negativity is the dominant feeling in today’s political environment. But this is New York, and that is not the New York way. The New York way is to make the seemingly impossible, possible. You tell us we can’t do it; you only get us excited to show you we can.”
–Gov. Andrew Cuomo, State of the State address, Jan. 3.
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