Dutch Bros expands into Bloomington with major Empire Corridor project

Image courtesy of the City of Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Dutch Bros Coffee is continuing its expansion into Illinois with a new Bloomington location, a project expected to bring more traffic and renewed energy to the city’s busy Empire Corridor.

According to City Manager Jeff Jurgens, the company will invest about $1.7 million in the new site.

 The location was selected with the help of a private developer who had been working with the city for more than a year to redevelop the property. The site previously housed another building, which has now been demolished to make way for construction. 

 “We had a developer that owned this site that wanted to see it redeveloped, and they’ve been working with the city for over a year trying to come up with a good development there, and this is what ended up taking shape,” Jurgens said. “We’re really excited about it. Dutch Bros is just now getting its foot in the door in Illinois, so to be one of the early communities they’ve decided to invest in is really exciting for us.” 

 With demolition complete, construction will begin as soon as weather conditions allow. The company is planning for a summer opening. 

 Jurgens expects Dutch Bros to draw customers to the bustling commercial area, home to a mix of national chains and local businesses. 

 “This area of the city is really known as the Empire Corridor, but this is going to be a great addition to it,” Jurgens said. “There are already some national brands in that location as well as some smaller mom-and-pop shops, but it’s going to be an exciting addition. The fact that this is another national brand coming in, and that this is new to Illinois, I think will have a lot of attraction.” 

 As for how success will be measured once the location opens, Jurgens says those benchmarks will largely be up to Dutch Bros. However, the city will monitor the surrounding area to track the development’s broader impact. 

 As crews prepare to break ground and Dutch Bros looks ahead to a summer debut, city officials say the project reflects continued investment in the Empire Corridor.