Krispy Kreme opened a Starbucks-style coffee shop - here's what it's like

Krispy KremeKrispy Kreme doesn't want to be Starbucks. However, the chain is drawing inspiration from coffee shops as it looks to the future.

In October, the donut chain opened a new location in Clemmons, North Carolina with some serious coffee shop vibes, including vintage signs, natural wood, free WiFi, and a redesigned ordering system and seating area.

The concept store represents a major step forward in Krispy Kreme's plan to increase coffee sales, which currently make up 5% of sales - a figure that CEO Tony Thompson told Business Insider he believes the company could double.

"We love to hear, 'We used to go to Starbucks, but this is pretty cool too,'" says Thompson on customers, especially younger ones, he meets at the Clemmons concept shop. "[Krispy Kreme is] not trying to go be a Starbucks. What we want out of this is, people are coming for the donut. We want to attach [coffee]."

Here's how the new shop is trying to do just that - and what it means for the future of the brand.