Human Bean to open more Northern Nevada locations

MINDEN, Nev. — It may be a week or two before Nevada's newest Human Bean coffee shop opens to the public, but its owner is excited to get the ball rolling.

“We're still training employees,” Chrissy Conatser said Monday, Sept. 23.

She estimated that it will be late next week or soon after before the coffee kiosk opens next door to the Sonic Drive-In at 1652 U.S. Highway 395 North.

“Corporate comes down and they do a soft opening to make sure you're ready,” Conatser said, referencing the company's corporate team in Oregon.

She said she felt there was plenty of traffic to keep all of Carson Valley's coffee places open.

“There's enough traffic in this place for everyone to be busy,” she said. “I truly believe everyone can make a great cup of coffee. Our difference is customer service. We want every customer to walk away saying, they just brightened my day. We want our customers to have a great experience.”

Conatser is a lifelong Nevadan who was born, raised and lives in Reno.

She and her fiancée, Kevin Gustafson, have been working on the Minden project for 18 months. She knew the owners of Sonic, so that helped smooth out leasing the property.

Conatser said she has about 16 full- and part-time employees to cover shifts from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

“We're planning on being super busy,” she said. “We're happy to be in the area. I'm excited for our opening. Everyone who has come up to our drive-through window has been lovely and beautiful. I'm blown away at how positive and wonderful people have been. We feel very welcomed.”

Once it opens, the Minden location will be the third Human Bean shop in Northern Nevada, in addition to the two already operating in Reno.

And, a fourth coffee shop is on the way — the couple is working on a second location near Firehouse Subs along Highway 50 in Carson City, which Conatser expects to open in a couple of months.