Honey Dew Donuts, Plainville, MA

The Honey Dew Story...
Richard J. Bowen, founder and president of Honey Dew Associates, Inc. always had a passion and taste for donuts. As a kid, he followed his dad to work at a local donut shop in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Throughout high school he worked at several coffee and donut shops, dreaming of the day he would own his own where the local community could gather to "enjoy the local flavor."

In 1973, Dick's dream came true when he opened the first Honey Dew Donuts® shop in downtown Mansfield, Massachusetts. He quickly became a local favorite, offering a friendly smile and the finest donuts and coffee around. He lived the promise "Always Fresh, Always Good" and his customers responded by coming over and over again.

Building a chain of coffee and donut shops was never a part of Dick's plan. A customer suggested bringing Honey Dew Donuts® to his own local community, and in 1975, this customer became the first franchisee. Three years later Dick introduced the drive-thru concept to New England when he installed one in the Plainville, Massachusetts shop.

Over time, as the chain expanded with more franchisees and more shops, so did the menu to include mouth-watering muffins, pastries, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, gourmet flavored coffees, and frozen beverages. Today, Dick leads a thriving franchise organization that, more than 30 years after the first shop in Mansfield opened, includes over 140 shops sprinkled throughout New England. Franchisees follow Dick's example and are local favorites in their own communities. In fact, they get to know their customers so well, they can fill orders as soon as they see their cars in the parking lot!