Dunkin' Donuts first of new U. stores to open

It is time to make the doughnuts at The Shops at Penn at 34th and Walnut streets. Dunkin' Donuts moved into the shopping area on Monday, replacing Perfect Pretzel, which closed down last spring for economic reasons. And just down the block, the parking garage at 38th and Walnut streets is preparing to open in the fall, according to Associate Treasurer Chris Mason. He said the University is currently in the middle of negotiations to fill the last two vacancies in the garage by leasing it to Commerce Bank. Mason described the chain, which has several branches in the Philadelphia area, as being small and "not a mega bank." "It's a customer-oriented bank," he said. He added that while the University has not closed a deal with the bank yet, he is confident that it will work out. "We are working on the lease and we don't see much of a problem with it, so we are assuming that everything is going to happen," Mason said earlier this week. He added that he expects the bank to open up by September. The garage is also slated to house several stores, including Campus Copy Center, an extension of Joseph Anthony Hairstyling, Thrift Drug and Mail Boxes Etc. Mason said Thrift Drug has already started construction, and that if everything remains on schedule the stores should all be open by the end of next semester. "We don't see any problems or delays that we can't control," he said. "Sometime during the first semester everything should open up." And a little further down the block, at 39th and Walnut streets, Mega Video is scheduled to re-open in September, Mason said. The video store shut down in February after a fire tore through the Convenient Food Store next door, completely gutting the convenience store and causing smoke and water damage to Mega Video and some of its neighbors. Mason said the future of the convenience store is "up in the air at this point," adding that the space has been gutted and the roof has been replaced over it. "Right now we are just bringing it back to a shell," he said. And the University may be signing a tenant to fill the space a few stores down from Mega Video left vacant when Galaxy Entertainment closed down in April. Mason said it is unlikely that the location will be replaced by another arcade, adding that the University is currently negotiating with "an existing business in West Philadelphia that may relocate there." He said this business is one that does a lot of business with the University.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.