The Human Bean holds grand opening for Brunswick location

BRUNSWICK — A grand opening and a ribbon-cutting ceremony were held for the Brunswick location of The Human Bean on Thursday morning. The Human Bean is a drive-thru and walk-up coffee shop based in Oregon with locations throughout the country. The Brunswick store is on 3479 Center Road, while other nearby locations are in the Akron-Canton area. Drinks sold vary from coffee to smoothies to refreshers. Kyle Nothnagel is the owner of the Brunswick franchise and has lived in Northeast Ohio for most of his life. He said he first became acquainted with The Human Bean as a company after he drove by locations on the West coast. "I just fell in love with the drive-thru coffee concept," he said. "It seems like over the last few years, it has been a real trend out here in the Midwest and something I want to replicate here in Brunswick." One concept that drew Nothnagel to franchise with The Human Bean rather than other companies is the connection customers can make with the baristas. "I love the idea of ordering at your window," he said. "You get to talk to your barista and talk about drinks and still be drive-thru and still be quick. I feel like I just want to fill that gap." The process to open the business took about two years, he said. Some factors for this time frame were pandemic-related while others were because the building is on a flood plain. This required EPA approval to move forward with the project. "A lot of unforeseen things happen," Nothnagel said. "This is my first ground-up build. I learned a lot through the process. I think it was worth the wait and time though, because I got to have good staff, find some good people and really make the property cute." Nothnagel chose to build in Brunswick because he liked the area and decided to move here himself. He came across this specific property by accident while he was considering another spot in the city. The building is next to a Starbucks, but the property has its benefits, he said. There is a light at the intersection and the traffic going through the area is significant. He thinks customers should visit the Human Bean rather than a competitor because of the quality of ingredients and ability to customize drinks. "We want you to order and feel your way through a menu or talk to your barista," Nothnagel said. "I hope that with that concept, you will be able to find things you love." Brunswick Mayor Ron Falconi gave a proclamation before the ribbon-cutting to officially welcome The Human Bean into the city. "Here in Brunswick, we love having new businesses come into our city," he said. "We try to make a very big deal about it because we're excited about the economic development. We're excited about the opportunities that are here in our city." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.