Brighton Dunkin' Donuts Sign Update

After Dunkin' Donuts was going to take down its legendary sign in Brighton, the question arose--what next? What are the options if you want to make sure that Dunkin' Brands Inc. doesn't put anything boring or ugly in its place?

Inspired by the preservation of the Citgo sign in the 1980s, Bostonist called the Boston Landmarks Commission to see if the sign could be designated a landmark. A representative said that, to become a landmark, an object or place must have "significance at the regional, state, or national level." If that's the case, then the Dunkin' Donuts sign, loved as it is, likely doesn't qualify.

The Citgo sign is a Boston fixture, but it is not an official Boston landmark, and Citgo itself maintains that sign. Therefore, if you have an interest in either a) making sure the new sign at least resembles the old one or b) preserving the original sign, then your starting point might want to be Dunkin' Brands Inc.

Or, there's the option from Brighton Centered--bulldoze the sign and the restaurant (via Universal Hub). Michael Pahre argues that the sign should go largely on contextual grounds since it is admittedly overwhelmed by WGBH and its digital wall. However, the old-school Dunkin' Donuts is a nice surprise after you look at the new ultramodern WGBH behemoth.

Photo by Caroline Roberts.