FORTVILLE — David and Donna Ayala, along with many family members and friends, celebrated the recent opening of Scooter’s Coffee with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at the new business in Fortville.
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, franchise owners Dave and Donna moved to Indiana roughly 16 years ago, and ever since, Dave said they have wanted to open and operate their own Scooter’s Coffee, a drive-thru coffee shop that started its success in their hometown.
David said the process of opening their own shop began back in 2021 and eventually replaced a vacant gas station property located at 709 W. Broadway St.
Right next door is the ongoing construction of a BP gas station which Joe Renner, town manager, shared with the Daily Reporter back in March of this year that, with more traffic in the area, they wanted to take the opportunity to improve “aesthetically and functionally.”
With Scooter’s Coffee and the BP gas station being built, it also changed the section of Old 67, closing access to the stretch of the road behind the buildings and making the main entry way for Scooter’s Coffee off U.S. 36. The stretch of Old 67 will eventually get milled to clear the way for more landscaping.
Since their soft opening on Oct. 24, Dave said they are excited to bring Scooter’s Coffee to Fortville, and being located in Fortville also matches core values on how they like to operate — treating everyone with humanity, love and integrity.
“We chose Fortville because it’s a growing community. It’s a community that has been very welcoming to us, and we just found the perfect spot for the type of business that we’re doing and it’s been great,” David said. “… I can’t tell you how many times someone has come by and said ‘we’re so glad you’re here’.”
Scooter’s Coffee was established in 1998 in the Ayala’s hometown of Omaha and offers not only coffee – hot and iced – but also smoothies, teas, all-day breakfast and more.
Shoshannah DiDomenico, senior manager of field marketing for Scooter’s Coffee, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and has been working with the franchise for a little more than a year.
Being located in Fishers, DiDomenico, is excited about what Scooter’s Coffee will bring to Fortville, such as job opportunities and the location for surrounding communities.
“We’re bringing amazing coffee as another option for people here in Fishers and Fortville, but also bringing a lot of jobs to the region,” DiDomenico said.
DiDomenico said that David and Donna have been incredible partners to work with, and one thing DiDomenico enjoys about her job is how she serves as the liaison between corporate office and franchise partners and being able to help them have the resources they need to succeed. Other Scooter’s locations in the central Indiana area that are close are located in New Castle and the fairly new location in Franklin.
To find out more about Scooter’s Coffee in Fortville, they can be reached by phone, 317-482-1620, or visit the store, open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
