Nebraska-based Scooter’s Coffee chain has launched in North Texas with stores already in Addison, Keller, Colleyville and McKinney. The firm’s 2016 expansion plans include upwards of 40 to 50 new stores nationwide (and six locally), says Scooter’s Coffee national director of real estate Carolyn Snider (left, with Goodwin Commerical’s Pam Goodwin, the tenant rep broker for the DFW area). Carolyn tells us Scooter’s has averaged opening about six stores annually, but spent the last year building a solid foundation and has more than 30 locations set to open by the end of 2015. The drive-thru is a core component for Scooter’s, so the location is one of the most important pieces in the site selection process, Carolyn says.

Traffic counts and traffic patterns are key factors, Carolyn says. Is the site in the path of morning commuters? Is it easy for customers to get in and out of the site? Scooter’s recently remodeled its interior coffeehouses, which run at about 1,800 SF in a modern, yet rustic style to create a warm environment for customers to gather, study and enjoy a casual cup of coffee. However, when it comes to the drive-thru kiosks, at as little as 500 SF, the chain is able to fit into underutilized portions of shopping center parking lots. This versatility is appealing to landlords, which can leverage an additional source of revenue that otherwise might not have existed, she says. She says Texas—as a whole—is a natural fit for the expanding lifestyle specialty coffee brand because of its booming retail sector and strong economy. The demographics for coffee continues to broaden, but in general, Scooter’s seeks affluent communities, where both education and family values are extremely important, she says.