Nasty weather didn't stop dozens of Shreveport-Bossier residents from checking out the new Dunkin' Donuts on the Jimmie Davis Highway, which finally opened its doors for a grand opening on a rainy Tuesday morning. And I was there, too -- a guy from New Jersey who has (somehow) managed to live without the stuff for over a year!

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to Shreveport-Bossier last summer was the disquieting lack of a Dunkin' Donuts store on every corner. Back in Jersey, you couldn't drive five minutes without passing one. Seriously -- they're everywhere.

new jersey dunkin donuts
All those red dots are Dunkin Donuts locations.
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It took some time for the realization that there were zero Dunkin Donuts' in the area to truly sink in. For days, I just meandered around town imagining one might just pop up on a street corner like a mirage -- a delicious mirage.

My first visit to the new location today was exciting, but also reminded me of the unique differences between the northeast and southern cultures.

dunkin donuts bossier city
Justin Massoud, Townsquare Media
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For example, in New Jersey we place more emphasis on the Dunkin' part of Dunkin' Donuts. It's pretty rare to actually walk out with a donut. Instead, drinks are the more common choice; we go there for hot chocolate or coffee.

But in my brief time at the Dunkin' Donuts, I watched folks order donuts by the dozen. I even overheard one employee apologize to a customer because the store had sold out of glazed donuts. Until today, I've never heard that sentence uttered in a Dunkin' Donuts.

And I have to admit, seeing a Dunkin' Donuts customer ask, "what's a Coolata?" when offered a sample of one was also pretty funny.

I can now rest a little easier knowing something down here is sort of like it is where I spent most of my life, even if it's just a single donut shop.

Justin Massoud is the Digital Managing Editor at Townsquare Media Shreveport and drinks way too much coffee.

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