In 1982, a small new group of Associates, our early franchisees, bought Krispy Kreme back from Beatrice Foods. A renewed focus on the hot doughnut experience became a priority for the company. We began to expand outside the South Eastern United States and opened our first store in New York City in 1996. Soon afterward, in 1999, we opened our first store in California and our national expansion was well underway. When we turned 60 years old in 1997 our place as a 20th century American icon was recognised by the donation of company artefacts to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.