Business
Kankakee County, IL Gets Coffee Chain Born From a Dairy Farm
Bradley, IL – Long before Dutch Bros became a nationwide coffee chain, two brothers in Oregon were watching their family's dairy business struggle. What happened next eventually led to more than 1,000
By Natalie Rhodes · 2026-10-29T10:54:30.728Z
Bradley, IL – Long before Dutch Bros became a nationwide coffee chain, two brothers in Oregon were watching their family's dairy business struggle. What happened next eventually led to more than 1,000 coffee shops, including one that just opened in Kankakee County.
According to the company's history, brothers Dane and Travis Boersma came from three generations of dairy farmers. When changing regulations made their family's business increasingly difficult, they decided to try something completely different.
They traded dairy farming for coffee.
In 1992, the brothers invested roughly $12,000 in equipment and launched a small espresso pushcart in Grants Pass, Oregon.
They experimented with coffee, handed out samples and built a customer base. By 1994, they had opened their first drive thru location.
More than 30 years later, that small operation has grown into Dutch Bros, a publicly traded chain with more than 1,000 locations nationwide.
Now, that story has reached Bradley.
The company celebrated the grand opening of its new Route 50 location Tuesday afternoon near Northfield Square Mall, close to the former Red Lobster.
The opening comes amid a broader Illinois expansion. Another location recently opened in New Lenox, with a Frankfort shop also planned.
But there are a few things locals might not know.
Dutch Bros isn't exclusively a coffee business. Its menu includes teas, lemonades, smoothies and flavored energy drinks called Blue Rebels.
Employees are known as "broistas," and the company has developed a following around customized drinks and unofficial secret menu combinations.
Most locations are designed primarily for drive thru service rather than indoor seating.
The company's history also includes a personal loss.
Co founder Dane Boersma died in 2009 after battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Dutch Bros continues honoring him through its annual Drink One for Dane fundraiser, which supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Other charitable initiatives support local nonprofits and youth organizations.
For Kankakee County, Dutch Bros represents another addition to the local coffee market. But behind the colorful signs is a business that began with two brothers trying to save their livelihoods by starting over.
Have you visited the new Bradley location, or is Dutch Bros still unfamiliar to you?