Krispy Kreme's Times Square Flagship Location Will Have the 'World's Largest Hot Light'

Anyone who's spent enough time in New York City has almost inevitably seen the Krispy Kreme location in Penn Station. But that prominently placed and easy-to-spot doughnut shop may have been providing you with a false impression: Krispy Kremes aren't common in the Big Apple. In fact, since 2009, the Penn Station location has been the only one. It's like a Bugs Bunny cartoon where a single background was looping over and over again.

But in 2020, that's all going to change… starting right at that old Penn Station spot. Tomorrow, a remodeled version of that well-known store will reopen, and from there, Krispy Kreme plans to open six more shops around the city, including the chain's forthcoming Times Square Flagship location, which now has an official opening month, May.

Following the Penn Station remodel, the first of the new Krispy Kreme stores is slated to open on February 4 in Midtown (specifically, at 994 6th Ave near West 37th St). From there, additional locations are also planned in the Financial District, the Bronx/East Fordham, Harlem, and the Upper West Side—all of which are expected to open "throughout the year."

But the star of the show will fittingly land on Broadway (at 48th St) after nearly a year in the making. Last June, Krispy Kreme announced plans for a flagship Times Square location featuring round-the-clock doughnuts as well as things like the "world's largest Hot Light, new immersive and interactive digital experiences, and exclusive merchandise." Though no exact opening date has been given, we now know that May is at least the month it's scheduled to throw open its doors.

The details haven't particularly changed since June (a good thing really; no likes reneging), but for those in need of a recap, Krispy Kreme says the under-construction flagship "will serve more guests annually than any other Krispy Kreme location in the world, bringing its iconic doughnut theater experience to life on the world stage. From the mixing of raw ingredients to the iconic glaze waterfall, the shop will showcase the end‑to‑end doughnut making process… And guests can take that first bite while sitting in the world's largest Krispy Kreme doughnut box with stadium‑style seating, offering the perfect view of the doughnut theater across the shop. Guests will also have access to immersive and interactive digital activations and new, exclusive merchandise that celebrates both New York City and Krispy Kreme in a fresh and fun way."

"New Yorkers expect the best, including the best doughnuts," Andrew Skehan, Krispy Kreme's president of North America, said in the announcement. "Their reaction to our Times Square flagship announcement last year was tremendous. It fueled our excitement to expand in the Big Apple in an even bigger way."

So there you have it: The Big Apple is about to be filled with a lot more doughnuts.