After receiving its food service permit, area residents and commuters began lining up last Thursday when Dutch Bros. Coffee opened its Statesboro shop on Highway 80 East.
The store originally opened on Feb. 24 and abruptly closed a few hours later when it was discovered the permit had not been issued. But folks now have another choice for their morning or anytime coffee at 23950 Highway 80 East. Long lines that have snaked all the way onto Bel-Air Drive have been common since the opening.
Dutch Bros. joins several eateries that opened in the past two years along the stretch across Highway 80 from Lowe’s, including Newk’s, Five Guys, Dunkin', Popeyes, Texas Roadhouse and Jim 'N Nick's.
Construction on the 986-square-foot freestanding building began last November. It has two drive-thru windows and walk-up service only. There is no indoor seating.
The Highway 80 Dutch Bros. joins a crowded coffee specialty shop field in Statesboro that includes three Dunkin’, three Starbucks, a Daily Grind, Ellianos Coffee, Cool Beanz Espresso Bar, Three Trees Coffee, Sugar Magnolia Coffeehouse, Brewed Awakenings Café and the recently-opened PJ’s Coffee.
The Statesboro shop offers coffees, teas, sodas, smoothies, lemonades and energy drinks. Food, called "Snacks," is limited to varieties of muffins and granola bars.
Dutch Bros. was founded in 1992 by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma, who were dairy farmers in southeast Oregon.
The company has grown to 1,088 locations, spread across 24 states and 550 cities, according to the Dutch Bros. website. The first location in Georgia opened in Warner Robins in July. Two more opened in the Atlanta area is December.
Texas has the most Dutch Bros. locations with 225, followed by California with 215 and Oregon’s 157 shops. The company states it has a long-term goal of reaching 4,000 locations, with a target of 2,029 by 2029.
Dutch Bros. roasts its own beans for its coffee-based drinks, importing three different types of green arabica coffee beans from Central and South America. Once the beans are roasted, Dutch Bros. packages four different options: a private blend, light roasted white coffee beans, decaf coffee beans and single-serve cups.