Supply-chain issues affect Cape Girardeau's Baskin-Robbins

Baskin-Robbins, the Canton, Massachusetts-based multinational ice cream and cake specialty business known for its "31 flavors" slogan, plans to open a store at 1704 Broadway, Suite 106, in Cape Girardeau in West Broadway Plaza.

An opening date is uncertain but the City of Cape Girardeau's development services department confirmed to the Southeast Missourian that Baskin-Robbins is working off a valid building permit issued in May.

Charles Hampton & Son Construction of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, is responsible for the estimated $105,000 build-out of the store, which has faced some equipment supply-chain delays.

On Baskin-Robbins-Cape Girardeau's Facebook page, the company said it had hoped to open its new store by Valentine's Day.

"We are working so hard to open but supply chain delays are making it difficult. Please bear with us," read a Feb. 12 post.

Baskin-Robbins, founded in 1945 and boasting more than 8,000 locations, including nearly 2,500 in the U.S., had a store in Cape Girardeau's Town Plaza Shopping Center from 1978 to 2002.

At the time, Allied Domecq, an English company that previously owned Baskin-Robbins, was not interested in "smaller, non-strategic markets," according to previous reporting by the Southeast Missourian.

Today, Baskin-Robbins is a wholly owned subsidiary of Inspire Brands, a large American holding company that also owns and franchises Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John's and Dunkin' (formerly Dunkin' Donuts) restaurants.

Despite the "31 flavors" marketing, Baskin-Robbins has introduced more than 1,300 flavors since the company's founding 77 years ago.

Do you want more business news? Check out B Magazine, and the B Magazine email newsletter. Go to www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.