Downtown Springfield’s newest coffee shop expansion is brewing up a buzz

The latest coffee shop to open up in downtown Springfield is brewing up a buzz. Since 2017, Scout’s Cafe has been serving the greater Springfield area as a locally owned and operated coffee shop. The local spot has been popular with residents, winning the Greater Springfield Partnership’s Best of Springfield Best Coffeehouse category in 2022 and again in 2025.

Offering a menu of smoothies, teas, and specialty hot and iced coffee drinks, residents and visitors alike have made this small business a go-to when it comes to caffeine cravings. In November 2025, the business expanded with an additional location in downtown Springfield. In addition to their Eastside location at 3660 E. National Road, and location at 1399 Moorefield Road, the new Scout’s Downtown is located at 32 N. Fountain Avenue. 

Sarah Bullwinkel, a spokesperson for Scout’s Cafe, says the idea for the small coffee shop came from a place of love.  

“A couple of us were highly passionate about the craft and experience of coffee, so we joined up with other local families to start the shop,” she says. 

The original location on Moorefield Road opened in March 2017 and has been positively received by the community. 

“Our goal is to provide a space for the community to gather and enjoy excellent coffee,” Bullwinkel says. “From day one, we had dreams of expanding; we never wanted to be just one store. We opened the Eastside store in September 2024, and now we have a third location, downtown.”

When looking for locations, the downtown area made for a good fit to continue Scout’s mission, Bullwinkel explains. 

“We love being a part of the Springfield community and were excited at the prospect to move downtown and to serve a new area of the city,” she says. “Being downtown allows us to participate in events like First Friday and Holiday in the City.”

The space, formerly Winans Coffee & Chocolate, which closed in September 2025, was a good starting place for the existing aesthetics Scout’s customers are familiar with. 

“Each store is a little bit different, but in general, we are seeking a ‘history professor’s office’ kind of vibe,” Bullwinkel says. “Because we moved into existing spaces rather than building from the ground up, we’ve reinterpreted the theme each time. We opened the downtown location so quickly that we haven’t had much of an opportunity to make it our own yet, but fortunately, the bones there are beautiful.”

Inside at the counter, staff serve customers specialty drinks, and they also sell in-house roasted coffee for customers’ at-home makers to bring a taste of Scout’s back home. Upstairs, there is a spacious seating area with tables and chairs, suitable for schoolwork, studying, working or relaxing by the windows overlooking downtown. 

The brand announced its official grand opening on social media two days before, and the post was met with over 700 likes, showing positive community support. When they teased the new downtown location the month before, over 1,000 folks showed their excitement. It’s a momentum Bullwinkel hopes continues as Scout’s plans future community events, menu items, and possible locations. 

With this newest expansion, Bullwinkel hopes the added location “makes getting awesome coffee a little bit more convenient.”