On Aug. 18, The Pesce Network reopened the Dunkin’ Donuts at 323 Marrett Road. They also added a Jimmy John’s — the sandwich chain’s first Lexington location. The store will hold a grand opening celebration, featuring giveaways and coupons, on Sept. 12.
Headed by Mark and Megan Pesce, The Pesce Network operates more than 60 Dunkin’ locations and five Jimmy John’s locations across Massachusetts. However, the network’s beginnings were much more humble.
“My husband has been in the business since 1988, and he’s done pretty much every job that there has ever been to do in Dunkin’ Donuts at this point,” Megan said. “He worked in his dad’s stores growing up. He did a co-op in college and worked in some of the Boston locations.”
In 2019, Megan joined her husband at The Pesce Network and has since played a major role in revamping the restaurants’ appearances.
“I was an interior designer for ten years in my business, which is why the space planning and the aesthetics, like the Adirondack chairs, are really important to me,” Megan said.
The Dunkin’ on Marrett Road first opened in 1970 as the chain’s 245th location, becoming a longstanding fixture in the community. That history, the Pesces said, was part of what drew them to purchase and reopen the franchise location.
“We have some friends that talk about going there with their grandfather and parents when they were growing up,” Megan told LexObserver. “We wanted to bring back something that was special to the community.”
As with their other openings, Megan’s priority is maintaining Jimmy John’s standards. She wants customers who have visited other locations to receive the same quality of food in Lexington.
“Like everywhere else, our bread is baked fresh every three to four hours, and all our meats are freshly sliced every single day,” Megan said.
The Pesces have focused not just on the ingredients themselves, but also on the workers behind the counter.
“We have a person that is just focused on training our new employees. All the little things that matter: the bread when you take it out, when you put it in, when you proof it, how long it goes, etc.,” Pesce told LexObserver.
With its so-called “Freaky Fast” service, Jimmy John’s sandwiches are often prepared in less than 30 seconds after an order is placed. The new location also hopes to improve delivery efficiency.
“We are going to start doing our own delivery outside of DoorDash, which can sometimes take up to an hour,” Pesce said. “It is especially popular for younger people who want food at their front door.”
With the location just minutes from Lexington High School and along a route traveled by many commuters and workers, Pesce expects the combination to attract customers throughout the day.
“A lot of people will come and they’ll get a refresher from Dunkin’ and drink it with their sandwich at lunch. So it’s really a nice crossover,” Pesce said. “It really helps the customers to get food options in the afternoon and evenings as well.”