Happy Bean-niversary
The Bean coffee shop in Kellogg celebrated its five-year anniversary on Monday. Pictured are barista Haley Brooks, owner Sarah Still and manager Gentry Peterson. They celebrated by giving out free giant sugar cookies and holding several drawings for Bean-gift cards.
Photo by JOSH McDONALD
KELLOGG — It was five years ago on Monday that one of the Silver Valley’s most currently popular haunts open its doors for the first time.
Most people thought the idea of opening a walk-in, sit-down coffee shop in our world of drive-through indulgences was a mistake, but owner Sarah Still and her loyal staff have proved that The Bean is anything but a cautionary tale.
Still and her staff celebrated the five-year anniversary (definitely not a birthday party, right Gentry…) by giving away special sugar cookies and going about their day with their normal exemplary and cheerful customer service.
“It was a new venture and I was definitely nervous, but in the last five years all of my expectations have been blown away,” Still said. “We used to hear all of the time that we needed a drive-through, but we don’t hear that at all anymore.”
Over the last five years, The Bean has been ground zero for a lot of special moments, including things like political meetings, birthday parties and hundreds of News-Press interviews.
Friends and families have used the shop as a regular gathering place, sports rivalries have been celebrated (and argued), exciting flavor combinations have been come up with, and questions have been asked like, is the Orange Blossom latte better hot or iced?
But that is all part of the mystique surrounding the quaint and inviting coffee house.
“It’s really about the people that we serve,” said Manager Gentry Peterson. “Without our customers we wouldn’t be here and we appreciate their support more than they could ever know. It honestly seems unreal that five years has gone by so fast.”
While the formula of coffee, bagels and ice cream has worked in getting the business through the first five years, Still is adding some new things to her menu in hopes to really expand the business heading into the future.
“We love our community so much and we’re so thankful to be a part of this community and how they embraced The Bean,” Still said. “We’re just so grateful that we have had the support that we have given us.”
The Bean is located at 448 Railroad Ave. in Kellogg.