Rockford’s first Dutch Bros Coffee location gets green light from City Council
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app
ROCKFORD — Developers have been given the green light by City Council to build the city’s first Dutch Bros Coffee.
Aldermen voted 12-0 Monday to approve a special-use permit for the dual-lane drive-thru coffee shop at 7131 E. State St., which is east of Perryville Road in the lot in front of Ashley furniture, Urban Air Adventure Park and Planet Fitness.
Core Acquisitions, which owns the property, plans to start construction in spring and open the shop by the third quarter of 2026. It will be built on a new outlot created on the northwest end of the large parking lot.
Core Acquisitions previously developed the Valvoline Oil Change, Mission BBQ and Five Guys on East State Street. The new coffee shop is in the first wave of Dutch Bros locations in Illinois. The national coffee retailer opened its first location in Illinois on Sept. 17 in Edwardsville.
In Rockford, the plan calls for a dual-lane drive through with an exterior walk-up window. There is no interior seating, but there would be limited outdoor seats.
Dutch Bros started in 1992 as a pushcart run by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma in downtown Grants Pass, Oregon. It began franchising eight years later and now has more than 1,000 locations across approximately 20 states, according to the publicly traded company’s investor report.
The franchise features an array of espresso-based drinks and coffee classics. There are also protein-packed coffees, shakes, smoothies, lattes and Rebel Energy drinks, among other caffeinated options. It calls its baristas “broistas,” a take on the company name, and prides itself on a friendly and fast-paced customer experience.
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
