Food and Drink

Starbucks plans Lake Norman location right across the road from its longtime rival

This Lake Norman Starbucks is a half-mile from a planned Starbucks drive-though location.
This Lake Norman Starbucks is a half-mile from a planned Starbucks drive-though location. jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

Starbucks plans to open a Lake Norman drive-through location right across the road from its smaller coffee chain rival, Dunkin’, formerly Dunkin’ Donuts.

Starbucks plans to open a Lake Norman drive-thru location right across the road from its smaller coffee chain rival, Dunkin’, formerly Dunkin’ Donuts. This sign announces the public hearing for a required watershed certificate for the planned location.
Starbucks plans to open a Lake Norman drive-thru location right across the road from its smaller coffee chain rival, Dunkin’, formerly Dunkin’ Donuts. This sign announces the public hearing for a required watershed certificate for the planned location. JOE MARUSAK jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

For decades, cars have stacked up each morning at the Dunkin’ window at Alcove and Williamson roads off Interstate 77 Exit 33 in Mooresville near the lake.

This Lake Norman Dunkin’, formerly Dunkin’ Donuts, is across the street from a planned Starbucks drive-through location.
This Lake Norman Dunkin’, formerly Dunkin’ Donuts, is across the street from a planned Starbucks drive-through location. JOE MARUSAK jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

At 5:30 p.m. Monday, a representative for Charlotte developer BV Belk will seek approval from the Mooresville Board of Adjustment for the planned Starbucks. The board meets at Town Hall, 413 N. Main St.

The Starbucks would open along Williamson Road in the Food Lion-anchored Watermark Shopping Center.

Exit 33 must be crazy for coffee, as Starbucks has a longtime store location on the opposite side of the exit, a half-mile from the planned drive-through. The longtime Starbucks is in the Mount Mourne Springs retail-commercial center.

The location’s manager had left for the day when the Observer visited the Starbucks on Friday afternoon to see if the location will remain open once the nearby drive-through is built. Starbucks management didn’t reply to a message from the Observer.

The 0.88-acre drive-through site is located at 106 Bridgewater Lane, according to Belk’s request to the board for a required certificate that the project won’t adversely affect the watershed it’s in.

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Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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