CHEYENNE - The Human Bean is still relatively new to Cheyenne, yet they are now expanding to a second location on Yellowstone Road near the old Sutherlands/Kmart building (now occupied by Wyoming Department of Workforce Services).
A glance at recent events and history
The Human Bean
The Human Bean first expanded to Cheyenne in 2022 when they broke ground on their East Lincolnway location; it opened in mid-2022, replacing the site of one of Cheyenne's former Pizza Hut locations. The location does include a walk-up window and patio, although it doesn't include seating.
 The Human Bean on East Lincolnway near Converse Ave, seen after it opened to the public - Optopolis |
Vicinity on Yellowstone Road at Manewal Drive: Kmart and more!
The land where the Yellowstone Human Bean will soon be built was previously vacant land used for extra parking spaces. However, the area surrounding the new Human Bean isn't new; the building which is now home to Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (DWS) previously housed Sutherlands, and before that, Kmart.
Both the East Pershing Kmart and Yellowstone Road Kmart closed just after the turn of the 1990s to relocate to the Dell Range Kmart. Sutherlands opened in mid-1994, but closed in 2015. Around the same time that UniWyo was setting up shop in the former Great Harvest Bread/Dairy Queen building, Wyoming DWS was also renovating the former Yellowstone Road Sutherlands to relocate their offices from the former East Pershing Boulevard Montgomery Ward.
 Wyoming DWS plaza sign seen at the Manewal Drive/parking lot access road - Optopolis |
Across the parking lot access way stands Cool River Wine and Spirits which was once the location of and home to Cheyenne's Long John Silver's, as confirmed by press photos and city directories found at Wyoming State Archives.
Coffee Shop Competition within 1/2 mile...
Nearby, the only significant competition is a Ziggi's Coffee Drive Thru which replaced about half of the former Taco John's; it does not have a walk-up window or dining area, and it shares the building with Domino's Pizza. Although and however, about a half-mile north of the soon-to-be The Human Bean, there is a small cafe inside of Bonsai Books, as well as a Starbucks Kiosk inside of Albertsons.
Ground breaks for new location for The Human Bean
In November 2024, it was discovered here at Optopolis that The Human Bean was amidst the planning stages for a second Cheyenne location. Now in May 2025, the empty section of parking lot in front of Wyoming Department of Workforce Services is being broken apart to make way for a new Human Bean, and recently-submitted permits for the new building have been approved.
Site plans found on the Cheyenne Planning Website via permit # BP-25-00598 include details about the building; it will measure approximately 520 square feet and feature both a walk-up window and a drive-up window. The general building design is very similar to the East Lincolnway Human Bean, but the Yellowstone Human Bean will be approximately 120 square feet smaller.
 View of soon-to-be Human Bean from near Arby's on Yellowstone Road; the building will be built on the left edge of this outlot when viewed from this perspective. |
As with the typical Human Bean location, there will be no interior dine-in space, but benches are planned to be placed on the patio next to the walk-up window. Pedestrian access and patio seating will be located directly next to the Manewal Drive/parking lot access road; drive-thru access will use a portion of the previously-vacant land and will not encircle the building like it does at the Lincolnway location.
The sign frame previously used by the now-former Sutherlands is also anticipated to be removed as part of The Human Bean project. A new The Human Bean sign will be installed closer to the building and nearer to the north side of the property compared to the signless Sutherlands sign board.
 Soon-to-be Human Bean seen from Cheyenne Family Dentist Center; the drive-thru and parking area will be constructed nearer to the dentistry. The Sutherlands sign board seen at left is anticipated to be removed. - Optopolis |
Currently, details about completion date and opening date aren't known by Optopolis. If and when Optopolis learns new information, this article will likely be updated.
Now, let us kno--
OK, we can already hear some of you typing on your keyboard about how Cheyenne has, quote, "too many coffee shops." So here's a different question: What other things would you like to see open in the Yellowstone Road vicinity of Cheyenne? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Published: 06/13/2025 at 12:55 PM MT
Updated: N/A