Sugar Grove’s first stand-alone Starbucks coming this fall

Commuters on Route 47 will have a new drive-through option for their morning coffee cravings this fall, once construction of Sugar Grove’s first Starbucks is complete.

The Seattle-based coffee powerhouse plans to open its first stand-alone store in Sugar Grove at 421 N Sugar Grove Parkway.

The site is in the shopping center at the northeastern corner of Route 47 and Galena Boulevard, between the Shell gas station and Auto Zone.

The 1.42-acre site is vacant. The development plans call for a 6,000-square-foot building with a drive-through and 370-square-foot outdoor patio.

Starbucks will operate out of a roughly 2,500-square-foot unit with the drive-through and patio, and the adjacent 3,500-square-foot space will be leased to another retailer.

The property is owned by Graham C-Stores, which also owns the neighboring Shell gas station. It will maintain ownership of the property and lease the space to Starbucks.

Northbrook-based developer GMX Real Estate Group is developing the site for Starbucks.

GMX director of development Todd Smutz said GMX has been developing commercial retail space for about 20 years, working mainly with national retailers such as Chipotle, Sleep Number and Raising Cane’s. He said they have built about a dozen Starbucks locations in the Midwest, most recently in Waukegan.

While the Jewel-Osco grocery store on the same lot already has a Starbucks kiosk inside, developers said it is common practice in the Starbucks business model to have a stand-alone shop right outside a grocery store with a kiosk.

Smutz said the two Starbucks locations will attract entirely different clientele. He said the café in the grocery store will mainly serve daytime shoppers, and the stand-alone shop will serve morning commuters and those looking for a café atmosphere to sit and work or study.

The stand-alone location also will offer a more extensive food and drink menu.

Smutz said GMX’s portion of the development is expected to be complete by June. The site then will be handed over to Starbucks to build out the interior, which is expected to take about three months.

The coffee shop is expected to open by mid-September.

Village Economic Development Director Michael Cassa said Sugar Grove is an attractive location for restaurants and retailers like Starbucks because of the potential growth it is poised to see in coming years with multiple, sizable residential developments planned.