SACO — Plans for the first Krispy Kreme doughnut shop in the state have been delayed until late August or early September.

New Hampshire developer Cort Mendez has begun renovating the former Burger King building at 520 Main St. in Saco where he plans to open a Krispy Kreme.

Mendez had targeted late July for the opening of the shop, but said in an email Tuesday that he now expects the Krispy Kreme to open between Aug. 15 and Sept. 12.

“As construction typically goes, there have been some unforeseen challenges with the old building,” he said.

He said the roof was in need of a little more repair than originally thought, a power upgrade was needed, and underground plumbing presented some obstacles.

The Saco store will be the first Maine location for the doughnut retailer. 

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, according to a press release from the company. The company makes a number of doughnuts, with its signature doughnut being the Original Glazed. 

Krispy Kreme doughnuts can be found in approximately 12,000 grocery, convenience and mass merchant stores in the U.S., according to the press release. Krispy Kreme has more than 1,100 retail shops in 27 countries.

Mendez said in an interview last month the Saco doughnut shop will not look like a traditional Krispy Kreme shop, but will have a more inviting, café style format that has been well-received abroad.

Mendez plans in the future to open more doughnut shops in Maine and New Hampshire.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.