Politics & Government

New Donut Shop Set to Open Near Station Plaza

Village board gives green-light to new Mineola Boulevard business.

Commuters at the Mineola LIRR Station will soon have a new place to get their morning sugar rush as the village board approved a new donut/coffee shop during a special use hearing on Wednesday night at the village hall.

Mark Donnarumma of Commack and Condeco Management Corp. plans to open the donut/coffee shop at 47 Mineola Blvd. at the corner of First Street. in the rear of the renovated Raines Building. The shop is geared towards “street traffic, no real sit-down dining; take it and go on the train. We anticipate mostly foot traffic,” he said of the business which currently has no name and is not part of a franchise.

He plans to sell salads, cold cuts, bagels, rolls and other items “similar to a Dunkin’ Donuts or a 7-Eleven set up.”

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There would be no gas or electric range cooking on premises with any cooking done through use of a microwave or convection oven “similar to like a Dunkin’ Donuts,” said Donnarumma, who is also one of the building owners. “We’re conscious of taking care of the building and the property.”

The store would be open from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday to take advantage of commuter times. There would be two employees plus a delivery person to local offices. A private carter would pick up refuse three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and would be stored in containers underneath the parking ramp until pickup. A receptacle would also be placed by the door for customer use.

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The business, which occupies 1,000 sq. ft. on the ground floor and has no basement, would also feature some small tables with seats but “the most you can put is about three small tables with two chairs and counter space, stand up space,” said Donnarumma, who previously had a deli in Manhattan before moving to Long Island.

In terms of parking, there would be two parking spots dedicated for employees. Meters currently exist on Third Street and in front of the building. Deliveries via box truck would be made on Third Street. Donnarumma said that he anticipates daily delivery of bread and bagels and deliveries of cold cuts twice per week as well as coffee by a delivery van. The donuts themselves would be procured locally from Vito’s Bakery on Main Street.

“We buy from local establishments as far as donuts, cookies, that sort of stuff, baked goods,” Donnarumma said.

Concern was raised over traffic in several respects, primarily due to the business’s location across from the egress from the southern side of Station Plaza next to the Mineola Avenue bridge.

“It’s a very congested area at certain times of the day and although we wish you the greatest success, should you be approved, we certainly don’t want to add to any congestion or frustration,” Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said, warning against double parking by customers and delivery vehicles.

“Somebody coming south over the bridge has a limited sight and if there’s a truck and I know because a lot of times these guys are in a rush so they obviously want to make their quick chip delivery or quick juice delivery and if they’re headed south on Franklin Avenue to their other customers on Franklin Avenue, they don’t want to turn down Third,” deputy mayor Paul Pereira said.

Donnarumma said that the busses are able to make the turn from Station Plaza or the bridge with a vehicle parked on Third Street against the building.

Anthony Testa, also of Commack, spoke on the egress from Station Plaza, stating that he has observed “many accidents” involving cars making a left trying to get onto Mineola Boulevard.

“They don’t try, they literally make that left into that oncoming traffic,” he said. “We look and say ‘how is it not being addressed by the local traffic police, whoever?’ We’ve been in the deli watching it being built and literally thought we were going to have a car coming through the window there.”

There are one-way signs and at the exit point and the road is slightly skewed to the right to discourage left turns, promoting traffic down Third Street.

Strauss said that he would contact the Third Precinct as village code enforcement officers cannot issue moving violations.

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