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Coffee aficionados in the western end of Stanly will have a new business in the coming year from which to walk in or drive through for it.

A sign posted in the Red Bridge Shopping Center in Locust announced a new Starbucks franchise.

Locust Planning and Zoning Director Scott Efird confirmed the town had been working with a developer for a piece of property located next to McDonald’s.

Efird said the developer talked about doing a drive-thru business but did not show plans for a Starbucks until about two weeks ago when the company committed to using part of the building for the new store.

“We were trying to keep it hush-hush until they officially applied for permits,” Efird said, adding the sign went up sometime over the weekend, which let the news out.

“We don’t like to speculate even though you meet with people.”

The new Starbucks would potentially be housed in a 2,500-square-foot part of the new building. Efird said construction on the new store might start in the first or second quarter of 2021, with the Starbucks open for business in the latter part of the year.

Efird said the new store shows how the demographics of the town have changed that Starbucks would consider putting a location in Locust.

“There are 25,000 cars a day going down (N.C. Highway) 24-27 to Charlotte…with the new housing developments here…I think that says a lot,” Efird said.

“It’s more than (a coffee place)…big corporate folks have their eyes on Locust.”