By Tori Templet | Staff Writer
Another Waco coffee spot is on the rise for Baylor students, as Dutch Bros Coffee is preparing to open its doors soon. The new location does not have a set date to open to the public but it’s aiming for early Oct.
Dutch Bros was founded in 1992 in Grants Pass, Ore., and is one of the largest privately operated drive-thru coffee chains in the country. While known for its cold brew and white bean coffee, it also provides an array of other drinks such as smoothies, frosts, teas, Italian sodas, Rebels and freezes.
After finding its way to towns throughout Texas, Waco is going to be one of the many new locations that Dutch Bros will be opening.
Jackson Luckin, operator of the Waco location, said the company is growing a lot at the moment, and Waco was on its radar for new development.
“We just fell in love with the community,” Luckin said. “We loved the atmosphere that Baylor brought to the community, and we already saw the support … so we are just excited to be able to bring Dutch Bros to Waco. We just want to be a place where anyone and everyone can come and have a good drink.”
Luckin will be operating the store alongside his wife, Jada, after they both worked eight years at corporate in Grants Pass, Ore. where it all started.
“Coming out here, we’ve learned a lot about having to recreate and teach people what we’re about,” Luckin said. “We’re so used to it being so embedded into our little community of Grants Pass that we grew up in. Now, we get the opportunity show people our brand … and give people that first impression, just showing people what Dutch Bros is all about.”
The new location will be located on Sixth Street, across I-35, and due to its proximity to campus, Luckin said he has found that at least half, if not more, of the staff they’ve hired so far are current Baylor students.
“We are a super flexible, part-time job, so we get the best of both worlds when we can help people while they’re pursuing their college dreams [and] allowing them to get some hours and make some money at a pretty cool job,” Luckin said. “Being so close to campus, we’ll be able to serve students and staff to keep them energized and fueled to get through the school year.”
San Clemente, Calif., sophomore Sarah Martinez is a new hire at Dutch Bros. She said she’s looking forward to meeting new people and being a part of a community, while working at the new store.
“It’s a new environment, and I think it’ll be fun,” Martinez said. “They’re accommodating with my school schedule which is nice, and it will allow me to take a break from doing school all the time.”
As Luckin and his team prepare for an opening, he said they are finishing up with city and construction operations this week and then they will go into training mode.
