Dutch Bros Coffee Plans First Charlotte Location at Former Wells Fargo Site

Dutch Bros Coffee is turning an old Wells Fargo drive-thru bank into its first Charlotte shop at 5637 Albemarle Road. The bank shut down just two months ago in February 2024. Located on about an acre next to the old Eastland Mall site, the place won't be by itself. Plans call for a fast-food joint and oil change shop to join it there soon. As Wells Fargo closes more than 60 branches nationwide, Dutch Bros keeps expanding. They launched 159 stores last year and plan to open 165 more in 2024. The story began simply. In '92, two brothers, Dane and Travis Boersma, set up a basic coffee cart with just one espresso machine in Grants Pass, Oregon. Now they're aiming for 4,000 U.S. stores over the next 15 years. This Oregon coffee chain has now grown to 18 states with 950 shops. They serve more than just coffee, offering frozen drinks, teas, and snacks like muffin tops. The expansion puts Dutch Bros in direct competition with coffee heavyweights. Starbucks, even with its huge 38,000-store footprint worldwide, has scaled back in Charlotte since 2020. While Starbucks saw sales dip 4%, Dutch Bros knocked it out of the park. Their third-quarter earnings reached $338 million, up an impressive 28% from last year. Meanwhile, Dunkin' stays strong with 70 stores around town. Charlotte's coffee scene blends local shops with major chains. Look at Dunkin' — now owned by Inspire Brands since 2021— with nearly 13,000 stores worldwide. As America's third-largest coffee chain, Dutch Bros lets customers customize their drinks exactly how they want. They've made their mark by connecting with local communities and making each location feel like part of the neighborhood.