Dunkin' Donuts shoots for Monday opening

ROCK FALLS – Plans are in place for the new Dunkin’ Donuts at 1800 First Ave. to open Monday.

Management said that, unless something unforeseen happens, the doors and the drive-thru will be opened to customers at 6 a.m.

The store has its business license, and Thursday received final approval to operate from the Whiteside County Health Department. Without the health department’s blessing, food can’t be brought in for staff training sessions.

The city signed off on the business a couple of weeks ago after doing its final occupancy inspection.

When plans for the store were first announced, construction was supposed to start in spring 2016, but there were several delays. Crews finally started working on the building in spring 2017.

The initial plans also excluded Baskin-Robbins ice cream, but management said they changed their minds midstream after determining that most of the area’s ice cream options were of the soft-serve variety.

The store has 40 workers on the payroll. Hours will be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week.

Bud Patel, a Naperville-based business developer, is the franchisee of the Rock Falls store.

Another highly anticipated business, Starbucks, should open in early November at the Sterling Commons, near Menards. A corporate spokeswoman said an exact date has not been set.