The headquarters for Krispy Kreme remained in Winston-Salem.Ī group of franchisees purchased the corporation back from Beatrice Foods in 1982. In 1976, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Beatrice Foods of Chicago, Illinois.

By the 1960s, Krispy Kreme was known throughout the Southeast, and it began to expand into other areas. Reception desk at Krispy Kreme corporate officesĮxpansion occurred in the 1950s, including an early store in Savannah, Georgia. The first Krispy Kreme bakery outside the South opened in Akron, Ohio, in 1939. The Krispy Kreme logo was designed by Benny Dinkins, a local architect. The first store in North Carolina was located in a rented building on South Main Street in Winston-Salem in what is now called historic Old Salem. Rudolph primarily sold to convenience stores however, he also sold hot doughnuts to individual customers who came during production time between midnight and 4 a.m.

In 1937, Rudolph opened his own store, deciding on Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the location when he learned that his favorite cigarette company, Camel Cigarettes, was headquartered in the small North Carolina city. The shop did so well that Vernon's father, Plumie, also left Kentucky and moved to Nashville to help sell doughnuts. The uncle and nephew focused solely on selling their doughnuts and opened 'The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Company' in a rented store on Gallatin Road. In 1934, Vernon and Ishmael decided to move to the larger city of Nashville, Tennessee, where they hoped business would be better. The store struggled during the Great Depression.

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