Dunkin’ Donuts is on a major growth spree in Houston (it's also putting us on a major growth spree)—three stores have already opened this year alone, and tenant rep Edge Realty VP Jonathan Hicks just helped secure a site in Conroe at FM 2920 and Kuykendahl for its third Northwest Houston location. (Above, Jonathan took part in Donut Day on Friday; more on that below.) Dunkin’s field marketing manager Nathan Pressler tells us the brand aims to grow from 7,400 locations in the US to 15,000 over the next 20 years, and Houston was pegged as an important market. In the last 18 months it’s opened 14 stores across the metro.

Three more are slated for this year; Nathan says Dunkin’ hopes to reach 60 locations across the greater Houston area. He says its stores are as varied as its donuts. (Did you know it has more than 600 flavor combinations?) Each is led by a local franchisee and is a bit different—the Humble/Atascocita store pictured here is its largest (seating 48), the newest store (on Highway 6 near West Oaks) has a covered drive-thru, and some (including the new Conroe deal) combo with Baskin-Robbins.

As for Donut Day, Jonathan took part in a Chowdown Challenge to help raise funds for victims of the recent Sunrise Apartments fire near the Atascocita Dunkin’ Donuts. Ten teams of three—here Jonathan’s with his teammates, Breitburn Energy’s Karen Gates and Walgreens’ Terry Vaughn (the milk hat king also is on the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce)—had a relay race where each team member ate one dozen donut holes. Jonathan was able to knock back those and a medium coffee in one minute, but his team wasn’t able to pull out the victory.