Poll: Dunkin' Donuts Emerges as Potential Tenant for Site of Medfield's Old Friendly's

Something's brewing at the former in Medfield.

Though no formal plans have been filed, local Dunkin' Donuts owner Michael Cavallo met with town officials Tuesday night to talk about the fate of the former Friendly's building at the corner of Routes 109 and 27. 

"A representative of Dunkin' Donuts appeared before the Historic [District] Commission [Tuesday] night regarding the old Friendly’s site. That’s the only information I can provide at this time," said Cavallo's attorney Edward V. Cannon Jr. of Doherty, Ciechanowski, Dugan & Cannon PC, in an e-mail to Patch this morning.

Norma Cronin, administrative assistant to the Medfield Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals confirmed with Medfield Patch Wednesday morning that while Cavallo met with the town's Historic District Commission, no plans have been submitted for the former Friendly's site at the 563 Main St. property.

"We have nothing regarding Friendly's or Dunkin' Donuts or anything there," she said.  "Nothing has come into this department or into the town hall as far as I know."

Assistant Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler said at the March 6 Board of Selectmen meeting that Robert Basile, property owner of the former Friendly's building in Medfield, had conversations with both Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks about leasing the Main Street property but nothing was imminent at that point.

"We’ve met repeatedly with the owner of Friendly’s and about two weeks ago we talked to him and he’s negotiating with Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks," Trierweiler said at the March 6 meeting.

showed 128 out of 239 voters (52 percent) preferred Starbucks over Dunkin' Donuts, which received just 15 percent of the votes (36). Seventy-five voters (31 percent) said they didn't want to see either franchise move into the former Friendly's site.

Basile has declined comment to several Medfield Patch inquiries via phone calls on what would be replacing the business that .

"I have nothing to report on that property at this time," was often the response from Basile or his associates at Medfield Realty Trust in Brookline.

According to a 2012 assessment done by the Medfield Board of Assessors, Basile's .493 acre Main Street property is worth $535,000 with the building valued at $243,800. The property is mainly classified as a restaurant/bar with a restaurant style building that was built in 1975.

Medfield Patch will be updating this story as information becomes available. Check back here or follow us on Twitter @MedfieldPatch and "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/medfieldpatch.

So Medfield, we want to know ...

Today's question: Do you want Dunkin' Donuts at the 563 Main St. site in Medfield? Vote in our poll and let us know why or why not in the comments section below!

Note: Medfield Patch Local Editor Jeremie Smith contributed to this report.