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Columbia’s first Scooter’s Coffee opens, 2 more Midlands spots coming soon. Here’s where

A new Scooter’s Coffee is open at 81 Tulip Oak Drive in Columbia, near the Killian’s Crossing shopping center.
A new Scooter’s Coffee is open at 81 Tulip Oak Drive in Columbia, near the Killian’s Crossing shopping center.

Heads up, Midlands. The Scooter’s invasion is underway.

Columbia’s first Scooter’s Coffee location has opened. The 700-square-foot drive-thru coffee shop is located at 81 Tulip Oak Drive in northeast Columbia, near the Killian’s Crossing development that includes a Kroger grocery store and a host of other businesses.

Franchisees Joe Walker III and Andrew Reed have plans to bring more than two dozen Scooter’s Coffee locations to the Midlands and other areas of South Carolina. And after the Killian area unit debuted at the end of May, Walker, a former Richland County councilman, told The State the next two units are also on the precipice of debut.

The Scooter’s at 812 Highway 1 South in Lugoff is slated to open on June 26, Walker said. Then, about three weeks later, a Scooter’s will open at 7808 Garners Ferry Road in Columbia. That’s just southeast of the Garners Ferry Road Walmart Supercenter, a few doors down from a Bojangles.

Scooter’s was founded in 1998 and is based in Nebraska. There are more than 300 Scooter’s locations across 21 states. The company says on its website that its keys to success are to “find a great location and stay committed to high-quality drinks, speed of service, and a big smile.”

The menu at Scooter’s includes hot and cold coffee drinks, as well as smoothies and teas. It also has a number of breakfast sandwiches, including the maple waffle sandwich, which is built on “fluffy, golden, touch-of-sweet waffles” and stuffed with “juicy, just-enough-spice sausage, a perfectly cooked egg, and rich cheddar cheese.”

The new Scooter’s location near Killian’s Crossing is in a high-traffic commercial area. More than 36,400 cars per day pass down nearby Killian Road, per the state Department of Transportation.

This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 10:57 AM.

Chris Trainor
The State
Chris Trainor is a retail reporter for The State and has been working for newspapers in South Carolina for more than 21 years, including previous stops at the (Greenwood) Index-Journal and the (Columbia) Free Times. He is the winner of a host of South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in column writing, government beat reporting, profile writing, food writing, business beat reporting, election coverage, social media and more.
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