Since its start in 1992, Dutch Bros. has been growing and expanding from Oregon to the South.. and its now wrapping back around to the Midwest.
Two brothers, Dane and Travis Boersma, came from a dairy family but rebranded themselves as a small coffee shop.
The company has grown tremendously, now providing drive-thru service with customized coffees, energy drinks, cold brew, tea, and more.
The brothers created Dutch Bros to spread positivity and build a welcoming community, which has made its way to Illinois.
With very few locations in Illinois, (Urbana being the closest one to Bloomington), Bloomington has begun construction on the latest local location.
At the corner of Empire and Veterans, Bloomington-Normal coffee fans will have their new option available in early 2026.
The city is excited for their arrival, with a mindset of bringing the town together.
Economic Development Specialist Joshua Maubach stated, “Dutch Bros coming to Bloomington follows a positive trend of new economic activity here in the city.”
In addition, Dutch Bros has begun to expand their business even more than before.
“Nationally, they are expanding their brand significantly, and we are happy to be the home of one of their new locations!” explained Maubach.
Dutch Bros arriving to Bloomington also allows citizens to experience new goods.
“I have been to Dutch Bros before, and it was great! I’m not personally a coffee drinker, but their Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Milk is fantastic,” Maubach noted.
In particular, the Normal West community is excited to try new products from Dutch Bros.
Dutch Bros’ arrival in town is building curiosity as 53.8% of people surveyed at Normal West haven’t tried it, but based on these surveys, the community is excited to try their more ‘fun’ drinks, outside of coffee, for a new experience.
Normal West senior Natalia Schmeiser explained her experience as “pretty good,” with others also agreeing.
Overall, the rating of Dutch Bros from the Normal West community was a 9 out of 10.
They also stated that Starbucks and Scooters will be Dutch Bros’ biggest competition once it opens in town.
However, one key thing to note about the Dutch Bros. company is that they love to give back.
Not only do Dutch Bros locations give away fun drinks to their customers, but in 2006, they started hosting what they call “company-wide givebacks,” which help support communities through Dutch Luv, Drone One for Dane, and Buck for Kids.
Per their website, they labeled it as “Unexpected, unprompted, and unbelievable-that’s the Dutch bros culture in action,” which is very exciting to hear when a new facility comes to town.
There has been lots of buzz following this announcement, with Maubach stating, “Overall, I’m thrilled to see this new development, and I think it is a great sign of more positive news to come from our retail corridor along Veterans Parkway.”
Dutch Bros’ arrival in Bloomington signals more than just a new place to grab a drink; it represents growing economic development, community connection, and excitement for something new.
With its focus on positivity, unique beverages, and giving back, Dutch Bros is already generating strong anticipation among residents.
As construction moves forward and opening day approaches, the buzz surrounding this new addition suggests it will quickly become a welcomed and well-loved part of the Bloomington-Normal community.
