North Carolina-based coffee chain to open new location in Columbia

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Clutch Coffee Bar, a North Carolina-based chain of drive-thru coffee shops, is expanding into South Carolina and will open its first location in the state in Columbia later this month.

The new coffee shop will be located at 4716 Devine St., according to the company’s website. There are also plans to open at 2029 Celanese Drive in Rock Hill later in the year.

Current plans are to open the Devine Street location on Jan. 28. Free coffee will be available to customers on opening day. In the days leading up to the opening, Clutch plans to deliver free coffee to teachers, first responders and others in the community, according to a company spokesperson.

Clutch was founded in 2018 and is based in Mooresville, N.C. The chain is known for its focus on customer service and also for its “Clutch Cares” program which has donated more than $60,000 to a variety of causes in the communities where Clutch is located. There are plans shortly after the Columbia opening to donate proceeds toward educational programs at nearby Dreher High School.

 "We chose Columbia based on how incredible of a community it truly is,"  Clutch Coffee Bar's co-founder Darren Spicer told SC Biz News. "The people and culture are a great fit with the positive energy that we serve at Clutch.  Columbia is rapidly growing, and we are excited to be an integral part of helping elevate the entire region. We love to create community-conscious experiences that bring people together." 

Clutch’s menu features a wide selection of coffee drinks available hot, iced or frozen, as well as energy drinks, smoothies, shakes, fruit juices and tea.

This is the latest drive-thru coffee chain to announce its arrival in the Midlands. Michigan-based Biggby Coffee will soon have two locations in Lexington, while Arkansas-based 7 Brew is coming to a site at the corner of Beltline Boulevard and Forest Drive in Forest Acres later this year.