Baristas at The Human Bean will begin pouring coffee and other specialty beverages at 4506 SW Heritage Oaks Circle, Lake City beginning Wednesday, October 5. Customers are invited to come to get a first taste of the drive-thru’s offerings, including specialty-grade coffee, real-fruit smoothies, whole-leaf teas, and hot breakfast items to-go.

Owners of the new Human Bean location, Gary Davies, David Hill and Stan Grisinger, say the staff look forward to providing above-par products and exceptional customer service — all with a signature chocolate-covered espresso bean on top.

“We’ve got an excited team who have been training and preparing for this grand opening,” says Davies. “They’re ready to start sharing the energy here, and serve the friendly faces who come through our drive-thru in Lake City.”

With a reputation for cheerful baristas and sustainably-sourced coffee, The Human Bean coffee company has grown from a single location in southern Oregon to a nationwide brand over the last 24 years. Drive-thru stands throughout the U.S. are primarily owned and operated by individual franchisees, who have a passion for bringing “coffee with a smile” to their communities.

The Human Bean franchise CEO, Dan Hawkins, attributes the company’s growth to a community-minded mentality and treating everyone “like a kind human bean.” With quarterly charity donations and many smaller local initiatives, the company strives to make staff, partners, vendors, and customers feel valued.

Customers can join the feel-good vibes by participating in several fundraising events throughout the year, including the brand-wide Coffee for a Cure day in October and Mochas for Men in June. All of The Human Bean drive-thrus participate in the fundraisers each year, and collectively raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for women’s and men’s cancer prevention and treatment.

All of the money raised by the Lake City drive-thru location will stay in the community and be given to a local organization of the staff’s choosing, says Davies.