SEBASTIAN — The Dunkin’ shop at 900 U.S. Highway 1 closed Monday as its owners prepare to tear down the building that has sold coffee and donuts on that corner for more than three decades.
Danny and Audrey Figueiredo, who own all nine Dunkin’ locations in Indian River County, said the storefront and a neighboring building to the north will come down to make room for a new strip plaza. The rebuilt site is slated to include a drive-thru Dunkin’ and outdoor seating.
“The end of an era is officially here for this landmark,” the couple said. “Our beloved building is being torn down, along with the sad faced (haunted) building to the north, to make way for a brand-new strip plaza featuring a drive-thru Dunkin and outdoor seating.”
The Figueiredos said the structure has stood since 1975, first as a Cumberland Farms for 20 years and then as a Dunkin’ for 31 years.
“While it is bittersweet to watch the physical walls come down, the true heart of this place can never be demolished,” they said. “Just think of the millions of coffees poured, the millions of donuts boxed, and the countless generations of neighbors who walked through these doors.”
The Figueiredos has operated Dunkin’ shops in the county since 1995. Indian River Donuts Inc., the family’s franchise company, lists the U.S. 1 store as its mailing address. The shop has long been a walk-in stop with no drive-thru, a point regulars have noted for years.
Audrey Figueiredo told customers earlier this month that the closing had been years in the making after repeated delays. In a Sept. 4 notice, the company said the 900 U.S. 1 location would close Sept. 28 for a major remodel and directed customers to other shops while the work is underway.
Those locations are 9490 90th Avenue near State Road 510 in Sebastian and 5245 U.S. Highway 1 in Vero Beach.
The owners asked residents to treat the closing as more than a construction project.
“Over three decades you became so much more than just customers — you became family,” they said. “As we prepare to say goodbye to the structure itself, we want to cherish the life that happened inside it. Please share your favorite memories and photos in the comments so we can honor the decades of laughter, friendship, and connection we all built here together. Thank you Sebastian!”
No reopening date was announced Monday. The company did not immediately release a construction timetable or a list of other tenants planned for the plaza.
The 900 U.S. 1 Dunkin’ had been open daily, typically from 5 a.m. to about 8 p.m.