As you may have seen, the newest addition to the downtown area is our very own Dutch Bros, and to be honest, the only thing that it is really adding to our community is horrible traffic and mediocre coffee.

Anyone who has driven through Clemson knows how congested certain areas can become. Adding a high-demand drive-thru coffee chain only increases this strain. It has been a little over a week, and already we are seeing the effects. There are consistently cars lined up around the entrance on a road that already has some of the worst traffic in Clemson, and even some collisions.

This is not to entirely dismiss Dutch Bros as a good place to go, but there are way better alternatives in the surrounding areas, and we, as Clemson, should prioritize those small businesses rather than supporting another chain. However, I understand that part of the appeal of Dutch Bros is the fact that there is a drive-thru, it’s convenient and it has specialty drinks.

There are many coffee shops in the surrounding area that offer the same thing for better coffee and a better overall experience. For example, right down the road from Dutch Bros is Moe Joe’s Coffee, which has both a drive-thru, like Dutch Bros, and better coffee, for similar prices.

While they might not be as convenient, locations such as Jitter’s Brewing Company and All In Coffee are other coffee shops within driving distance of campus that offer an optimal coffee-drinking experience, as well as their own specialized drinks.

Furthermore, Clemson has been ranked sixth for the best small town in the South and eighth for the best small college town. Shouldn’t we prioritize small businesses? As a smaller town, Clemson thrives on its sense of community, and that is reflected in its locally owned businesses. It is one of the things that makes Clemson so unique.

Independent coffee shops and cafes already serve the area; we have a lot of them, and we should support them instead. Choosing to support them instead helps to preserve what makes Clemson feel like home rather than just another stop filled with the same brands seen everywhere else.

This Dutch Bros isn’t alone. Another coffee chain looking to make its way into Clemson is 7Brew, which will replace Goobers after its owner’s death. This is insane to me. Clemson is going to replace a beloved small business with yet another chain. This is diminishing the value that Clemson has worked hard to protect, one that prioritizes small businesses.

All this said, we did not need a Dutch Bros, especially not right outside downtown. Support your local coffee shops instead.

Lauren Douda is a sophomore English and secondary education major from Lexington, South Carolina. Lauren can be reached at [email protected].