Rally's Closes on East Broad as Dutch Bros Eyes the Site

East Broad lost another burger counter, and the next tenant looks a lot more caffeinated.

The Rally's at 3260 E. Broad St. has closed. Exact shutter timing is unclear, but the move follows another Rally's exit last month at 1939 Stringtown Road. For East Side regulars, that means no more Big Bufords or seasoned fries at that Broad Street corner.

City of Columbus permit filings point to Dutch Bros Coffee as the planned replacement, with a drive-thru coffee concept sketched for the same parcel. No building permit or public opening date has been announced yet, so the timeline is still early-stage paperwork rather than a ribbon-cutting calendar.

Details in this story draw from the 614Now report on the Rally's closure.

Dutch Bros is already circling Central Ohio

Dutch Bros is not dabbling with a single test shop. The Oregon-rooted chain (now thousands of cups deep across more than 20 states) has already mapped multiple Columbus-area stops, including a West Broad location, Hamilton Road on the Northeast Side, and Sawmill Road near Dublin. The East Broad Rally's site would add another drive-thru lane to that push.

Fans know the brand for customizable iced drinks, Rebel energy beverages, and a high-energy counter style. If permits keep moving, East Broad drivers heading toward Bexley and Whitehall would get that option without cutting across town.

What to watch next

Two things matter for neighbors. First, when demolition or remodel work actually starts on the Rally's building. Second, whether Dutch Bros posts a target quarter once construction drawings clear. Until then, treat the coffee shop as planned, not open.

The burger chain's East Broad chapter is over. The coffee queue for that corner is just getting stamped.

Coffee is not on a Best Of list yet; for a sit-down dinner after the drive-thru run, our best Mexican food picks still travel well east.