Popular drive-thru coffee chain will replace the longtime restaurant site in Lakewood that was destroyed by fire earlier this year.

If you’ve been wishing for a Dutch Bros location a little closer to Long Beach, your wait may soon be over.

A new Dutch Bros Coffee is planned for 5809 Lakewood Blvd. in Lakewood, at the northwest corner of Lakewood Boulevard and South Street, just north of Lakewood Center and only minutes from the Long Beach city limits.

The new drive-thru coffee stand will take over the former site of Pancho’s Heritage Mexican & American Food, a longtime neighborhood restaurant that closed before the vacant building was destroyed in a three-alarm fire earlier this year.

For many Long Beach residents, especially those living in North Long Beach, the new location will become one of the most convenient Dutch Bros locations in the area without having to drive farther into Orange County or other parts of Los Angeles County.

The redevelopment also gives new life to a property that has sat vacant since the fire.

City planning documents show the project moving forward as a drive-thru coffee shop, replacing the burned restaurant building with a new Dutch Bros location. An official grand opening date has not yet been announced.

If you’ve ever been to a Dutch Bros grand opening, you already know what to expect.

The Oregon-based coffee chain has developed an almost cult-like following, with customers regularly lining up for specialty coffees, energy drinks, teas, lemonades, and seasonal menu items. New store openings often attract long lines that can spill onto nearby streets during the first several days or even weeks.

While the initial excitement will likely mean heavier traffic around the intersection of Lakewood Boulevard and South Street, the crowds typically settle down after the grand opening period.

The new location continues Dutch Bros’ rapid expansion throughout Southern California as the company adds more stores across the region.

For Long Beach coffee lovers, it also means another popular option is about to open just across the city border.