Scooter’s Coffee plans to bring drive-thru locations to the Ballantyne area of Charlotte, Matthews and Weddington.
The brand specializes in artisan espresso drinks, fruit smoothies, baked-from-scratch pastries and features its signature drink, the Caramelicious. The company also recently added a line of organic hot and iced teas, single-origin coffee and Cold Brew & Cream.
The expansion into the suburbs south of Charlotte is the result of a five-unit franchise agreement signed by business partners Jason Houseman and Gregg Turkovich. The brand has locations at Indian Trail (5859 W Hwy 74) and Monroe (1306 W. Roosevelt Blvd.).
Houseman, a banker, and Turkovich, an accountant, are both originally from Buffalo, N.Y. They live in Charlotte where they were introduced by a mutual friend. They decided to go into business together since they share an entrepreneurial spirit.
They saw a need to get a good cup of coffee in a hurry. They’d heard about Scooter’s Coffee, did some research and found it was a strong brand with strong support. Getting customers in and out and offering a premium product at an affordable price were important to the pair.
According to the latest market trends compiled by the National Coffee Association, 60% of Americans drank coffee in the past day. And the number of people who reported buying coffee at a coffee shop or restaurant has risen 20% since January 2021.
“Since Scooter’s Coffee is relatively new, and we are able to get onboard with a company that’s poised for incredible growth, we’re very excited by that,” said Houseman. “These franchises are just the start; we hope to do a lot more eventually.”