Seeing double … Dutch Brothers Coffee

Popular chain planning second location near Busch Gardens

Apr 02, 2026

The former SunTrust bank building at 496 McLaws Circle in James City County near Busch Gardens, which has sat vacant for years, is proposed for conversion into a Dutch Bros Coffee double drive-thru, joining a planned location in York County along George Washington Memorial Highway. (Williamsburg Indpendent)

A second Dutch Bros Coffee location is in the works for the Williamsburg area, with site plans submitted for a drive-thru at 496 McLaws Circle in James City County near Busch Gardens. Further details regarding the approval process and construction timeline for the former bank location were not immediately available.

The submission adds to growing signals that the Oregon-based chain is making a coordinated push into Virginia. Dutch Bros is simultaneously pursuing a location at 5619 George Washington Memorial Highway in York County’s Grafton community that, if approved, would be the chain’s first in the state and the mid-Atlantic, with McLaws Circle serving as its second. As part of a push into Virginia, the chain is also reported to be planning locations in the Richmond and Roanoke areas. The York County site has been in the county review process since at least late 2025, with staff comments requiring revisions as of January 2026.

a drink sitting on top of a wooden table — A Dutch Bros coffee. (Stock photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash)

Dutch Bros was founded in 1992 and has since grown to more than 1,000 locations nationwide. The company touts a quick-service, drive-thru model features a highly customizable beverage menu spanning specialty coffee, cold brew, proprietary Dutch Bros Rebel energy drinks, sodas, teas, and lemonades. The chain operates no interior seating, a format that sets it apart from traditional coffee shops and has proven well-suited to high-traffic suburban corridors.

If the proposals move forward, the greater-Williamsburg area would welcome a brand with a devoted following in western and southern markets, now pushing into the mid-Atlantic for the first time. The company has drawn strong interest from financial analysts in recent years. Dutch Bros reports that individual locations average more than $2 million in annual sales, and the company posted a net profit of $89 million last year. Industry observers have cited its consistent expansion strategy and evolving menu as key factors behind its growth.

Ideas for the vacant bank building have been discussed by property owners and the county since at least 2023. In January of that year, the county received a conceptual plan looking for feedback on converting the building into a double drive-thru restaurant.

Dutch Bros will not be the only new drive-thru coffee brand coming to the area. Rival chain 7 Brew is planning a location at 100 Josephs Drive in York County’s Tabb community, according to planning documents obtained through a public records request. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, 7 Brew operates more than 600 locations across 38 states and was ranked the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the United States in 2025 by industry tracker Technomic. The chain already has 13 Virginia locations across nine cities, including Newport News. Like Dutch Bros, 7 Brew uses a double drive-thru model and a beverage-focused menu, offering more than 20,000 possible drink combinations spanning espresso, energy drinks, sodas, teas, lemonades, smoothies, and shakes. Engineering plans for the Tabb site are dated January 2026.

Previous reporting by Williamsburg Independent: