As the community waves goodbye to a local coffee shop, a national chain experiencing explosive growth is looking to fill any empty cups right down the street.
While Dutch Bros. now has an approved location under way near the cross-valley connector, it’s now eyeing a second spot, not far from where Honu Coffee announced its final batch would be served on Feb. 7
The popular Oregon-based coffee maker started work last year on a location on Valley Center Drive, and it’s now looking at a second spot, right down the street from where Honu Coffee is saying goodbye.
The newest application for a Dutch Bros. was for a quarter-acre space in a parking lot at 23718 Lyons Ave., which is literally right next door to the Coffee Kiosk at 23716 Lyons Ave., according to the records available at City Hall.
A representative for Dutch Bros. did not respond to a request for comment Monday, but a city official confirmed a couple of plans in the works.
“There is a Dutch Bros approved and under construction on Valley Center Drive, just west of Golden Valley Road,” wrote Planning Manager Patrick Leclair, in an email Monday. “At that location, you’ll see two buildings getting under way, one is for a future Dutch Bros. and the other is for a future McDonald’s.”
In January 2024, the city’s Planning Division approved an application for a Dutch Bros to be built next to a new McDonald’s location near where College of the Canyons has previously planned to put a technology center, off Golden Valley Road, near Soledad Canyon Road.
He also said there’s been no formal application for the Dutch Bros.’ query into a possible location next to the Black Bear Diner on Valencia Boulevard, which The Signal reported in Feburary of 2025. That location was the subject of a one-stop review last year, which is not considered a request for approvals, but more of a request for a feasibility study by city staff.
The location off Golden Valley has been in the works since January 2024.
Santa Clarita is far from the only target area for the Grants Pass, Ore.-based business’ expansion: The company’s SEC filings show it has grown from 441 locations in seven states in 2020 to 982 in 2024, a mix of company-run and franchise locations. In that same span, the reported revenue has grown from $327.4 million to $1.281 billion.
Honu Coffee, which is a little over a quarter-mile away at 27222 Lyons Ave., announced Jan. 23 on the store’s Instagram account that it would be closing after more than 11 years.
“This decision is deeply bittersweet. Bitter because Honu, the more than 150 team members over the years, and the thousands of you who made this place a second home for over a decade are an integral part of who we are. We will miss this chapter of our lives dearly,” according to an Instagram post attributed to John and Darla Evarts, owners of the location. “Sweet because we are profoundly grateful for the relationships, memories, and community that were built, often over a cup of coffee.”
