Broista

Horizon West welcomes its first Dutch Bros Coffee. James Anselm - June 17, 2026 Dutch Bros Coffee opens in Hamlin with drinks, energy and community focus. A friendly "Broista" serves guest through the walk-up window at the Hamlin location's grand opening. Dutch Bros Coffee has officially opened its first Horizon West location at 5205 Hamlin Groves Trail in Hamlin. The drive-thru coffee shop opened Wednesday, June 17, bringing specialty coffee, smoothies, teas, freezes, lemonade, Nitro Cold Brew and Dutch Bros Rebel(TM) energy drinks to Hamlin. The new shop is open Sundays through Thursdays from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Beyond the drinks, Dutch Bros is known for its upbeat service and community-focused mission, including partnerships with local organizations that help enrich the communities it serves. Opening day vibes. In the heart of Hamlin, charming "broistas" weave through the prep area of a pristine grab-and-go coffee house. It's opening day, and they couldn't be prouder. Espresso machines hum a song of coffee bar classics. Refreshers pour in bright, vibrant layers, framed by the windmill logos printed on Dutch Bros cups. Catchy favorites float through speakers. Each employee enters a coordinated dance of service as lines wrap around the drive-thru and walk-up windows. Every movement is a heartbeat to the establishment. Well-trained and eager to serve up smiles, Hamlin's Dutch Bros family seizes the rush with friendly ease. Their secret? Treating every guest like family. Brewing up West coast hospitality. With humble pushcart origins, the Oregon-born company has swept the country to become a coffee empire. Hamlin's location broke ground in October as a well-awaited addition to its community. For those in charge, the Dutch Bros impact carries roots from far earlier. Thirteen years in, Hamlin shop operator Meghan Sviontek is thriving in the Dutch Bros family. She calls it "100% the right path," previously serving at locations in California and Texas before moving to Florida last year. "I always joke that I'm the Disney Dutch Bros operator, following my dream by the parks I love," Meghan said. Being at this grand opening is a surreal moment for Meghan. "I know I won't fully feel it until I'm home later and the adrenaline wears off to a gush of 'yes! It's here! We're here!'" she said. With eight years at Dutch Bros, Hamlin manager Karlin is living the dream. When he was young, his mom drove him to their local Dutch Bros before or after school or after church. "The way that they treated us was so cool to experience as a child," he said. Mesmerized by the customer service at this comfort spot, it quickly rose to the top of his job application list. "I was like, man, I want to work there so bad. It was the cool job, playing fun music and it seemed like a party inside. When I finally got the call back, I was so emotional about it," Karlin said. Hamlin's quick-order coffee spot brought up similar feelings. "We're finally open to serve. It's amazing," he said. Watching the crew adapt was a special highlight for both. "There's so much ownership and empowerment. When we got here, it became an extension of what we created, because now it's our home. This is Hamlin's family," Meghan said. Dutch Bros manager Karlin (left) and operator Meghan (right) graciously welcomed guests to the new location. Team players: A job vs. The job. Getting a job at Dutch Bros is its own gauntlet. Hiring began as soon as construction workers broke ground. Giving an inside look at the employee selection process, Meghan cited a recent Restaurant Business Online article reporting it's tougher to get a job at Dutch Bros than it is to get into Harvard. "Are we competitive?" she said. "More specific. The ideal team player is hungry, humble and smart. We ask every candidate, 'What does making a massive difference mean to you?' In the details, we find out, 'Do they want a job, or do they want the job?'" Finding the heart behind why a candidate wants to join is an essential step. Karlin told Horizon West Magazine LLC baristas cross-trained at neighboring locations anywhere from two to six months. "Our goal right off the bat is to set the culture. Right as they sit for interviews, they feel comfortable," he said. Being immersed at another location ensured working at Hamlin wasn't a major leap, only a quick skill transfer. Meet your Horizon West Dutch Bros "Broista" Team. Giving back with a local focus. To integrate with the community, Dutch Bros hosts three nationwide givebacks annually. "As the operator, I oversee an additional three or four donations to local charities. This will be our second year partnering with Give Kids The World, which feels really rooted," Meghan said, referencing other givebacks for No Kid Hungry and Second Harvest Food Bank. With this new location, Meghan aspires to increase donations. "I see us continuing our impact farther and stronger in this community," she said. Apart from outreach, the company hosts handcrafted employee awards called "culture cultivators." While opening day is now a realized dream, Karlin and Meghan set their horizons on growth. Speaking of the company's future, both radiated love and optimism for Horizon West. "We hope to inspire the next generation to be a part of what we do here," they said, expressing that each crew member can be a role model. Photos courtesy of Dutch Bros The Dutch Bros draw. Seasonal drinks are released monthly, with promotions throughout the year. For a detailed drink selection, visit dutchbros.com/menu or download the app. Radiating kindness with every cup, Hamlin's location welcomes guests into the Dutch Bros rush with fresh drinks, friendly faces and a culture rooted in connection. Even the smallest details add to the excitement. Dutch Bros keychains have become highly sought-after, limited-edition promotional items handed out during surprise, one-day-only "drops" that keep fans watching for what's next. Where the windmills blow and the line keeps moving, Hamlin's Dutch Bros family is ready to serve up energy, smiles and a little local magic one cup at a time. Photos courtesy of Dutch Bros

This drive-thru coffee chain is pushing into undercaffeinated parts of America. May 25, 2026, 2:53 PM (CNN) - A new coffee chain may be headed to a town near you, and it's not Starbucks or Dunkin'. Many Americans likely haven't heard of 7 Brew, which has only been around since 2017 when it opened its first location in Rogers, Arkansas. The chain has since grown to over 700 locations in 38 states, with about 340 more on the way, but can't be found in airports, indoor shopping malls or busy street corners in major US cities. Instead, it operates through drive-thrus and walk-up windows in parts of the country with little-to-no coffee competition. The growth of 7 Brew and other rapidly expanding beverage chains, including competitors like Dutch Bros and soda-focused Swig, shows that Americans are perhaps unwilling to give up quick treats during hard times. Budget-conscious Americans have balked at rising fast food prices in recent years, leading to pullback at businesses like McDonald's and Burger King. Meanwhile, 7 Brew has performed well in this economy: Sales jumped from $502 million in 2024 to nearly $1.2 billion last year. "Coffee is perfectly an affordable luxury, because it offers that daily indulgence," said Sharaya Jones, a marketing professor at George Mason University. "Some coffee shops are expensive, but usually it's under $10 to have this really special moment." Pricing and menu variety. 7 Brew's small non-dining spaces help limit operating costs, making up for smaller profit margins on drinks compared to chains like Starbucks. Jones notes that coffee, particularly for younger consumers, is "a category where consumers are increasingly price-sensitive... being perceived as more affordable than Starbucks, or other local coffee shops, can help drive repeat visits and build loyalty quickly." As 7 Brew expanded, it has also broadened its customizable drinks - it started out with seven drinks, hence the name 7 Brew. It now has more than 20,000 drink combinations. And 7 Brew doesn't charge for most customizations, such as extra flavors, milk alternatives, whipped cream and drizzles. When Charlese Mitchell ordered a blondie drink with caramel and funnel cake and her friend Sydney Richardson bought a coconut, strawberry and cupcake-flavored soda at a 7 Brew in Abingdon, Maryland, in April, the pair were taken aback. They paid $5 for each of their drinks - half what they expected. "Five dollars is crazy," said Richardson. 7 Brew's loyalty program may also be appealing due to how straightforward it is to earn a free drink, according to Robert Byrne, senior director of consumer research at food industry research firm Technomic. That's great for Americans, who Byrne says want to spend at restaurants whenever they have extra cash. "We need those treats, those little miniature food service serotonin hits," he said. The chain also lures customers with free t-shirts and drinks at new locations, limited-time giveaways and discounts for first responders. At a Starbucks near San Antonio, a 24-ounce iced blonde vanilla latte costs about $6.55 when ordering through the app. A nearby Dunkin' sold a medium iced latte for $5.49, while a nearby Dutch Bros charged $4.95, according to online ordering. At 7 Brew, a 24-ounce iced blondie - a vanilla and caramel breve mixture - can cost as little as $5.15, while a medium iced latte may cost as little as $4.75, according to the company. Mayra Okechukwu, an influencer in Utah, told CNN she goes to 7 Brew about three times a week, and now prefers the drive-thru chain over Starbucks due to its lower prices. "When I had to pay (at 7 Brew), I was really surprised. I was like, 'Oh, that's way cheaper for such a good amount of coffee,'" Okechukwu said. A standard medium iced latte at 7 Brew is the same size as the largest iced coffee at Starbucks stores. Rapid competition growth. 7 Brew's drive-thru format largely borrows from established chains like Dutch Bros, which opened in 1992 as a pushcart in Oregon, and Scooter's Coffee, which opened its first Nebraska kiosk in 1998. Not only has 7 Brew replicated their small stand formats, it also sells muffin tops, similarly to Dutch Bros. And its energy drinks, soda, smoothies and other drinks can also be found at Dutch Bros and Scooter's, which each have more than 20 flavors. Such chains are positioned as more convenient than stand-alone cafes and largely appeal to commuters and families going to and from school. Those chains are still larger than 7 Brew: Dutch Bros has over 1,000 locations in 25 states and Scooter's Coffee has over 850 locations. 7 Brew's rapid expansion this year is largely made possible by Blackstone, which made a growth equity investment in the company in 2024, and Franchise Equity Partners, which acquired a majority stake in the chain's second largest franchisee to open more than 200 new stands. The brand has also gone viral on social media. But at the same time, franchises are "not going to be able to implement the changes that are necessary to keep up with trends, customer demands, keep the uniformity of the system," said to Nick Setyan, a Mizuho Group analyst. A competitive industry. Traditional coffeehouses still have their appeal as sit-down cafes, potentially offering remote workspaces and room to socialize. That appeal of a "third space" is a large part of why people buy coffee, Jones, the GMU professor, said. Starbucks last year announced a plan to win back customers that focused on the brand's coffeehouse culture. The leading coffee chain had reported weaker sales in recent years, in part due to increased competition and customers who were exhausted by high prices. That new plan seems to be paying off. Comparable store sales in the US rose about 7% during the second quarter of this year. It's hard for 7 Brew to compete with coffeeshops that serve as "third spaces." "(7 Brew has) baristas who come up to your car, and it is interactive... but there's just the loss of the experience, the atmosphere," Jones told CNN. Still, Okechukwu, the Utah-based influencer, says she would occasionally skip Starbucks because of its long wait times, while 7 Brew is convenient for work commutes. Customers are typically in and out of 7 Brew faster than other chains: time spent at 7 Brew stands averaged 8.7 minutes during the third quarter last year, according to Placer.ai. That's less than the 10 minutes at Dutch Bros and the 13.8 minutes at Starbucks. Jesslynne Mann, a 23-year-old graduate student and mother in Kentucky, told CNN that there are few other options for coffee in her town, aside from expensive locally owned specialty shops and Dunkin', which lacks consistent quality. A mom-and-pop shop typically charges about $9, she said. Meanwhile, she racks up free drinks with 7 Brew's loyalty program and often uses 7 Brew as a "date night" with her partner. The couple take time to rate the orders in their notes app. "People enjoy being able to build memories around something, and it just breaks up a long stressful day," she said.