Milwaukee’s First Scooter’s Coffee Planned for Southwest Side

A vacant lot in Milwaukee’s Green Moor neighborhood would become the site of the city’s first Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru under a new proposal.

The Omaha-based coffee and breakfast chain plans to expand its footprint with a new location near the intersection of W. Forest Home Ave. and S. 60th St. on a vacant site currently addressed as 6023-6141 W. Forest Home Ave.

A building permit review request indicates that a franchisee plans to construct a new, 664-square-foot building and 16-car drive-thru on the oddly-shaped lot. The future business would be flanked by AutoZone to the east and a pet training center and auto parts store to the west. A strip mall containing a coin laundromat, Anytime Fitness and several other businesses is located directly south.

Married couple Don and Linda Eckles founded Scooter’s in 1998. In the two decades since, the brand has grown to include more than 500 locations in 27 states. As part of a strategic growth plan, Scooter’s plans to build additional stores in 30 states, adding dozens of locations to its collection in 2023.

The first Milwaukee area location is due to open later this month.

From the start, Scooter’s has prioritized efficiency via its limited menu and drive-thru-focused business model, but the company has recently upped the ante on convenience with its mobile app, which allows customers to place orders online and pay in advance for store pickup.

The app also allows features a rewards program, offering customers the opportunity to earn “smiles” for every dollar spent, which can later be redeemed for free drinks.

Scooter’s menu offers a full range of hot and iced, single-origin coffee and espresso drinks, blended coffees, fruit smoothies and teas. Non-dairy milk alternatives including almond, coconut and oat can be substituted into most drinks. The cafe’s food menu includes a variety of breakfast sandwiches, burritos, muffins, cookies and cake bites.

The full menu is available online.

The newly-proposed Scooter’s is one of several upcoming in the area. Another, located at 2150 Miller Park Way in the Village of West Milwaukee, is currently in its soft opening phase, with plans to celebrate its grand opening on Jan. 13. On that day, customers can get half off any drink when they pay with the Scooter’s Coffee mobile app.

The drive-thru location is owned and operated by Joseph Gartner and Andrew Gartner.

Additionally, a public franchise document indicates that Davinder Toor has secured the rights to open another Scooter’s in West Allis. Toor is also the owner of 84South, a retail center in Greenfield.

Plans for the Forest Home Avenue Scooter’s were filed by Pinnacle Engineering.

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