SAUGUS — Kane’s Donuts is expected to silence the complaints about early morning noise by moving production of the donuts for its Boston location to its newest cafe on Route 1.
The shop has been in a residential neighborhood on Lincoln Avenue since 1955. In 2015, Paul Delios and his family opened a second store in Boston, but production for both shops remained at the Saugus store. Complaints from neighbors poured in about the sounds of engines running and food being loaded into trucks long before their morning alarm.
“We did have a big problem here with big loading trucks, but I can say in all honesty Kane’s has gone out of their way to do it the right way,” said Johnny Pizzi, a Lincoln Avenue resident who has filed complaints against the business several times.
Two years ago he went before the Board of Selectmen with a complaint that he was frequently awakened by loading noise in the early morning hours, usually around 4:30 a.m.
Board members said at the time they visited the site unannounced to witness the problem first hand.
Selectman Scott Brazis said he arrived at Kane’s at 4:50 a.m. one morning and watched as eight racks were transferred from the building and loaded into the truck. He said he couldn’t hear any noise and the truck was gone 32 minutes later. The next day, he returned and sat on Pizzi’s fence, about 10 feet away from where the truck was being loaded. Again, he said he didn’t hear a disturbance.
Other panel members said that while there was no disturbance on those particular days, they haven’t witnessed the operation seven days a week.
But just one day with a disturbance is too many, said Selectman Mark Mitchell.
“I have a concern for the residents,” he said. “If there’s one citation, there’s an issue.”
Delios told the panel Wednesday night that moving the production of the donuts sold to the Boston location to the Route 1 store should alleviate the issue.
“The people from Boston will be told to come and purchase the donuts from Route 1,” said Delios. “It will alleviate the Boston truck from going (to Lincoln Avenue) but I can’t stop, like, Saugus High School if they want to come at 5 o’clock in the morning.”
Chairwoman Debra Panetta questioned whether opening that early was really necessary. Delios said that it was.
“I see that other businesses are open 24 hours on Route 1 and we just want to stay competitive,” said Delios.
Panetta said her only concern was for the residents living in the neighboring apartment buildings. When complete, the $150 million Essex Landing Development at the former site of Route 1 Mini Golf & Batting Cages, will be an eight-building residential and commercial complex.
The finished apartments have thick window panes and other soundproofing measures to stand up to the noise of Route 1, said Delios.
The Board of Selectmen approved the Common Victualler’s License and the 3:30 a.m. opening time.
The new Route 1 store will open at 3:30 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.
“I wish them a lot of luck with their new location,” said Pizzi.
