Coffee fans in Wauwatosa could soon be ordering Dunkin' in a spot many still associate with Starbucks, as the national chain moves to open its first city location in a long-vacant drive‑thru building near the Mayfair on‑ramp.
Dunkin' is proposing to convert the standalone former Starbucks into a "Next Gen" shop, keeping the existing drive‑thru setup while updating both the interior and exterior finishes.
The move was first reported Thursday by the Milwaukee Business Journal, which said the application signals the chain's entry into the city. That report noted the proposal comes less than a year after Starbucks closed at the address.
What the city application says
Wauwatosa planning documents submitted by KP & J Architects outline a conditional‑use application to convert the single‑tenant building at 151 N. Mayfair Road into a Dunkin'. The packet, filed in March and available on the city's Legistar portal, describes mostly cosmetic exterior changes, a full interior redo to Dunkin's Next Gen layout and use of the existing drive‑thru lane with a new menu board and height‑limit bar.
The submission lists proposed hours of 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and estimates a full staff of roughly 15 employees during peak periods. City of Wauwatosa planning documents provide the application packet.
The site and local context
The building at 151 N. Mayfair Road has been marketed in commercial listings as a former Starbucks drive‑thru, positioned on a busy stretch of Mayfair Road near the I‑94 on‑ramp. LoopNet highlights the property's visibility and existing drive‑thru lane, which the Dunkin' plan would reuse.
What's next
The conditional‑use application must clear city review before work can begin, so the coffee handoff is not a done deal yet. Meeting agendas, staff reports and the full submission are available through the city's Legistar portal for anyone who wants to follow the process.
Officials must sign off on the conversion and drive‑thru use before a contractor can start the interior and exterior work.
If approved, the location would mark Dunkin's first shop inside Wauwatosa, even though the brand already operates elsewhere around the Milwaukee area. The Milwaukee Business Journal and city records were the primary sources for this report; we will update if company or property representatives provide comment.
