The Carvalho brothers are first-generation Portuguese-Americans — and the second generation of their family entrusted with the landmark.
Dunkin’ Donuts was founded by Boston-area entrepreneur William Rosenberg on this spot in 1950.
Victor and Octavio’s parents, Jose and Maria, arrived from the Azores in 1966.
They bought the original Dunkin’ from the Rosenberg family in 1979; it’s been in the Carvalho family ever since.
MEET THE AMERICAN WHO INVENTED THE DONUT
“Dunkin’ means so much to our family because it changed our lives,” said Victor Carvalho, the first among five siblings born in the United States.
“My parents lived the American dream and were able to pass it down to us. It’s a passion for us now.”
Dunkin’ now boasts over 13,000 locations in 40 nations around the world.
The original is something of a tourist attraction, drawing donut and coffee lovers from across the United States and from as far away as Saudi Arabia, said Carvalho.
The original is also an international icon. Its picture is often displayed on the walls of Dunkin’ locations around the world as a tribute to its legacy.
Yet Dunkin’ remains a local brand in the eyes of people in Greater Boston and to the customers who are regulars at the original on Southern Artery (Route 3A).
