Why Springfield's Old Restaurant Sites Keep Turning Into Drive-Through Coffee

For 21 years, 2343 N. Dirksen Parkway held Hickory River Smokehouse, a sit-down barbecue restaurant. The next building on that lot will be a Dutch Bros of 1,250 square feet. It will have a walk-up window and no indoor seating at all. The Springfield Business Journal reported that the old building was waiting on demolition approval, and the developer expected that approval by the end of October.

You'll find the same swap on four other corners around town. A former restaurant or a closed fast-food spot gets cleared for a coffee building a fraction of its size, with drive-through lanes wrapped around it. On East Sangamon, an empty bank gets drive-through coffee lanes instead. Every sit-down spot in this story moved into a building that was already standing. The new construction going up on these sites is built for cars.

Five addresses, one kind of building

Here is where things stand as of mid-October 2026, based on Springfield Business Journal and State Journal-Register reporting from this summer and fall.

Scooter's is the only brand on the list that already had a local track record. Its first Springfield store opened at 2935 Clear Lake Ave. in December 2022, and the second followed at 1740 Wabash Ave. in spring 2023. Local franchise owners Marcus and Lauryn McGlasson are behind the East Sangamon location. They're putting it in the old PNC Bank building with drive-through lanes, breakfast sandwiches and baked goods.

A 500-square-foot building on a million-dollar corner

On these sites, the land costs far more than the building that goes on it. The Springfield Business Journal reported that a Texas-based developer of single-tenant restaurant properties paid $1.3 million for the former restaurant at Wabash and Veterans Parkway. It demolished the building and put up a 7 Brew in its place. The same report says 7 Brew buildings run about 500 square feet. They have no lobby, just two lanes where "Brew Crew" employees walk up to cars, take orders and hand drinks through the window.

North Dirksen follows the same pattern. The 2631 N. Dirksen lot sold on Feb. 12 for $900,000. The State Journal-Register reported that the city approved a $675,000 permit for the site on July 2. A mile or so down the parkway, Core Acquisitions paid $1.38 million for the 1.17 acres under Hickory River. That sale closed Sept. 11, according to Sangamon County records cited by the Business Journal.

On a lot that size, a 1,250-square-foot coffee building covers a small corner. Most of the money pays for the land, the curb cuts and room for a line of cars. In a dining room, a seat is worth something only while a customer sits in it. In a double drive-through lane, the cars keep moving.

Why North Dirksen gets two

The two Dirksen projects sit close together for a reason. Adam Bell, a partner with Core Acquisitions, told the Springfield Business Journal that the stretch's continued development and nearness to Interstate 55 drew Dutch Bros. He called that part of Springfield "a great retail node." He also said the brand typically does "a decent amount of off-the-interstate traffic."

Zoning shows the change, too. The 7 Brew lot by Club Car Wash was classified I-2, heavy industrial, until the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended B-1 business zoning in December. City Council approved it on Jan. 20. The South Sixth Street proposal asks for a similar change, from I-1 light industrial to B-1 Highway Business Service District. The petition there states that the existing building and pavement would be demolished so the property can be redeveloped "for use as a commercial drive-in service."

Bell also told the Business Journal that Dutch Bros often opens more than one store in a market it enters. He said he wouldn't be surprised if a second one eventually came to the Springfield area.

The sit-down restaurants are the ones leaving

Each of these coffee shops is going up where a restaurant or bank had already closed or chosen to sell. The South Sixth site has been empty since KFC closed abruptly in August 2024. County tax records put its fair market value at $309,924, according to the Springfield Business Journal. Hickory River closed on Aug. 31. At the time, the company said the decision followed an "exceptional, unsolicited offer" for its property. It also said it was searching for a new Springfield site that fits "modern dining trends and economic efficiency," and was advertising for franchisees to open it.

The East Sangamon block shows the swap plainly. The old PNC Bank at 1949 E. Sangamon becomes a Scooter's. A short way down, a new Hibachi & Wok Cuisine is moving into the former Papa Murphy's at 1712 E. Sangamon Ave. Its manager, Alexander Chen, told the Springfield Business Journal he expects it to open by the holiday season, though no date has been set. Not every new restaurant needs a cleared lot. Some take over an existing storefront and open their doors.

Where you can still sit down with a cup

This year's walk-in openings all moved into buildings that were already standing.

On Wabash, Chocolate Cafe opened Aug. 6 at 4151 Wabash Ave. The State Journal-Register reported a menu of coffee drinks finished with chocolate, plus milkshakes, mojitos and crepes. Two doors' worth of addresses away, Levity Bar & Grill opened Aug. 1 at 4127 Wabash Ave. Restaurateur Jeff Griswold told the Springfield Business Journal that the smaller site is what made coming back to the restaurant business manageable.

Downtown, Arrowroot Coffee Co. set up its first walk-in lounge at 625 E. Adams St. The Business Journal reported a grand opening planned for Jan. 31, 2026, after final inspections.

Dates to watch this winter

Several of these projects have milestones in the next few months:

1. 3150 S. Sixth St. The Planning and Zoning Commission was scheduled to vote on the 7 Brew rezoning on Oct. 21. That vote is only a recommendation, and the City Council has the final say.
2. 2343 N. Dirksen Pkwy. The developer expected demolition of the Hickory River building to be approved by the end of October. Dutch Bros is targeting early spring 2027.
3. 2631 N. Dirksen Pkwy. The second 7 Brew is under construction with no opening date announced.
4. 1949 E. Sangamon Ave. Scooter's is aiming for early 2027.

If every project opens, Springfield will have three 7 Brews, three Scooter's and its first Dutch Bros, and each new one will be built around a drive-through lane.

Curious what's going in on your corner, or what a change like this means for homes nearby? The team at Cindy Grady Bunch follows these projects across Springfield and is happy to talk through what's changing near you. Request a Free Consultation & Home Valuation whenever you're ready.