EVERETT — Dutch Bros. Coffee, with its distinctive blue-and-white windmill logo, is opening its first coffee stand in the Puget Sound area in Everett.
The country’s largest, privately held drive-through coffee chain expects the stand at 2202 Broadway to begin serving coffee in late fall or early winter.
The chain, which has locations in Eastern Washington and towns from Olympia south, is planning a second site in Renton.
“Our projected growth is pretty organic,” said Jennifer Wheatley, director of public relations and foundation. “We try to grow out from existing stands. How that will occur will depend on how these stands go.”
That part of Everett already offers spots for those in need of a caffeine fix, including two Starbucks on opposite ends of Broadway north of 41st Street and several independent coffee stands.
“Our approach to that is we think there’s room for all kinds of different of coffee companies,” said Wheatley, adding the company wants to fit in with the existing coffee businesses.
The Grants Pass, Oregon-based company features specialty coffee drinks, smoothies, freezes, teas and a private-label Blue Rebel energy drink. It also sells grab-and-go snacks.
The company was founded in 1992 by dairy-farmer brothers Dane and Travis Boersma, who started with a single espresso push-cart.
Now the company operates 265 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado and Arizona. Almost all of its sites are drive-throughs although the company has added some sit-down destinations.
The Everett site will be a drive-through with a walk-up window.Wheatley said she expects the site to employ about 30 people when it opens.
It’s on a large lot that will include several parking spaces and a small water-retention pond.
Everett’s Arm &Hammer Construction is the general contractor.
A subcontractor is A Clean Chimney &Contracting. Matt Utley, the owner of Arm &Hammer, said he’s been impressed with Dutch Bros. and its approach, saying the stand and its equipment are high-end.
“I do know they’re expecting to do some pretty good growth in Washington state,” Utley said.
The chain only franchises new locations to existing employees, people who understand the company and its values, Wheatley said.
She said there’s been interest from baristas and other employees to open a franchise in the Puget Sound area for quite some time.
The franchisee who was awarded the Everett location is Teal Anderson, who has worked at Dutch Bros. in Portland, Oregon.
“We’re excited about joining the Everett community,” Wheatley said.
As part a commitment to the community, the company holds three main fundraisers a year: Dutch Love, to support a local food bank; Buck for Kids, to support a local children’s charity; and Drink One for Dane, which raises money for ALS research in honor of Dane Boersma, who died of the neurodegenerative disease.
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