STOW, Mass. — One Massachusetts community is changing its name to Dunkin’ this week in celebration of the iconic coffee chain’s return to town after being deprived of New England’s beloved brand for years.
Come Thursday, the Middlesex County town of Stow will no longer be known to locals as a “Dunkin’ Desert,” which has been the case since 2022, when both of the town’s previous Dunkin’ locations closed within 30 days of each other.
The news of the departure of all things orange and pink from Stow quickly went viral, drawing the attention of Mark and Megan Pesce, who operate multiple Dunkin’ franchises throughout the Greater Boston area.
Mark and Megan purchased 108 Great Road in August 2024, the site of the long-closed Beef ‘N Ale restaurant on the Lower Village Common.
“As soon as we heard the two stores in Stow had closed, we wanted to fix that,” Megan Pesce told the Stow Select Board.
Earlier this month, the Board voted unanimously to rename Stow as “Dunkin,” just for one day on July 24 in honor of the store’s grand opening.
The new Dunkin’ will maintain the feel of the once-beloved Beef ‘N Ale restaurant.
“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 said.
A celebration is slated to be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.
Highlights of the celebration will include remarks from the Pesces and Stow officials. The first 100 Dunkin’ Rewards members in line will also score 100 days of free coffee.
Megan and Mark will also present a $5,000 check to the Stow Food Pantry in partnership with the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation.
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