Caribou Coffee Plans First South Carolina Shop at Former North Augusta Checkers Site
An empty Checkers drive-thru at 1029 Edgefield Road will soon become North Augusta’s newest coffee spot. The location marks Caribou Coffee‘s first move into South Carolina.
Located near Market Plaza and Food Lion, the small 788-square-foot shop is surrounded by other fast-food restaurants. This represents another expansion for the coffee chain, which began in Minnesota and now serves customers at 812 locations worldwide.
After opening its first store in Minneapolis-St. Paul in ’92, Caribou has expanded to include 334 company stores, 143 specialty spots, and 335 franchise locations across 11 countries.
The change from burgers to coffee matches similar changes at 1720 Walton Way in Augusta. This isn’t new – former Burger Kings and Hardee’s have become Caribou shops in places like Kennesaw and Loganville.
In Lawrenceville, another Checkers will soon swap fries for coffee. It’s part of a larger trend where old fast-food buildings find new life as different businesses.
This North Augusta location will be drive-thru only. The layout works well, fitting naturally with the nearby food options.
As part of Panera Brands, Caribou joins several well-known names. The company also owns Panera Bread, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Peet’s Coffee, Pret a Manger, and Bruegger’s Bagels.
