Update: Here’s when Starbucks is now looking to open in downtown Rockford

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Developers expect to complete renovations on the ground floor of an Art Deco building at State and Main streets in time for a new Starbucks to open early next year.

Justin Fern, founding principal of Urban Equity Properties, said work should be complete and the coffee shop opened in early January. They had initially targeted opening in late November in time for Stroll on State when the project was announced in late August.

“There was a small delay with Nicor gas and some utility company stuff,” Fern said. “We’re very close to completing that job and that build and that project.”

Related: From foundry to finished apartments: Water Power Lofts are open in southwest Rockford

The national coffee chain is the first of two businesses that will be on the ground floor of the 11,700-square-foot building at 213 W. State St. The $4.5 million redevelopment also includes loft office space on the second and third floors.

Other businesses coming to the space have not yet been determined.

Starbucks announcement was met with mixed reactions this summer. Some hailed it as a great sign for downtown’s economy that a national retailer saw it as good place to do business. Others decried the arrival of a national chain to a downtown district that already has four locally owned coffee shops: Wired Cafe, 414 E. State St., Inzombia Coffee, 306 E. State St., Rockford Roasting Co., 416 S. Main St., and Mo’s Coffee and Cafe, 303 Mulberry St.

The building is being renovated with support of city tax dollars. Urban Equity Properties was awarded a forgivable loan of up to $1 million by the city in May. The developer will receive reimbursement of 100% of funds the project generated from the tax-increment finance district on a pay-as-you-go basis through 2031.

Fern provided an update on Starbucks last week after cutting the ribbon on the new Water Power Lofts, a 64-unit apartment complex redeveloped from a former foundry on South Main Street.

The developer is also preparing to open another residential development in downtown. Fern said the redevelopment of the four-story Nu State Building into mid-century lofts with a ground-floor grocery store should be ready by spring.

More coffee: Local business partners plan to bring multiple Scooter’s Coffee drive-thrus to the region

That project, at 119 N. Church St., includes 35 mostly one-bedroom lofts on the upper levels and an 8,000-square-foot grocery store at the ground floor. Downtown Discount Drugs pharmacy will remain on site with an expanded grocery with fresh produce and a deli. It will also be UPS location.

“That’s probably more like late March or April now, but it’s coming fast,” Fern said.

In separate developments, a Starbucks is also planned for land north of Casey’s General Store along Mulford Road and plans are taking shape for a Starbucks and Chiptole in Belvidere where Dodge Lanes stands now.

The bowling alley would be razed to make way for the national chains, if the plan is approved by the Belvidere City Council.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas