GILLETTE, Wyo. — Gillette’s Scooter’s Coffee store opens Dec. 14, according to the husband-and-wife team of franchisees RaeAnn and Kent Jeffries.
The store will be at the southeast corner of Boxelder Road and Douglas Highway.
RaeAnn and Kent said they have been local franchisees in town for nearly three decades. They have been self-employed for their whole careers. They own six franchises, including Old Chicago, Ace Hardware, Subway and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. They will be bringing a Fuzzy’s Taco Shop to Gillette, too.
As entrepreneurs, they are not worried about their success with bringing Scooter’s to Gillette’s bustling coffee scene.
“We do what we say we’re gonna do, and we keep our head down and work hard,” Kent said.
Kent and RaeAnn believe Scooter’s Coffee is different because the coffee is both very good and very fast. The Gillette store will be drive-thru only.
“We want to be the fastest in town, hands down,” Kent said.
Assistant manager Claire Walker said the team wants to create an amazing experience. Her favorite is the Galaxy drink because it blends caramel and mocha.
Store manager Jamie Allred, whose favorite drink is the mocha coconut, said that, compared with her previous barista experience, she loves the Scooter’s product. She appreciates the difference that locally sourced beans make, even for drip coffee.
The Jeffries were able to meet the coffee farmers and their families at a Scooter’s convention in 2022. Harvest Roasting, which was founded by the same man who started Scooter’s, creates, packages and provides the food for Scooter’s, RaeAnn said.
Scooter’s menu includes children’s items, energy drinks, smoothies, protein drinks, teas, lemonades and pup cups. Pup cups are a little dish of whipped cream and a bone for dogs.
Area manager Ruth Walker, who likes a regular latte but also loves the white rose drink, said that staff do “line busting” to keep the line quick. Staff will strive to be the friendly greeters who help people get their days off to a great start. Ruth, who was a manager at Old Chicago, said she is looking forward to how the team will build a relationship with every customer.
“What we love about being a part of this community too is everyone knows each other,” she said.
The Jeffries are excited to open in Gillette, as it is their hometown and where their children attended high school. They plan to continue supporting the community through helping with sponsorships and fundraisers.
Kent and RaeAnn will also bring Scooter’s to Douglas, Sheridan and Helena, Montana, Kent said. They gained the Scooter’s in Casper and access to the Wyoming market after a franchisee who lives in South Dakota gave up the rights. The stores are easier to build than they are to operate.
“Hiring this fantastic team is going to allow us to grow quicker,” he said. “We’ve always grown a lot slower with our other brands.”
Kent said he knows the property, which is just north of Dairy Queen, is a tight spot, but there are still two travel lanes between the stores and it will flow fine. The Wyoming Department of Transportation did a traffic study and the City of Gillette analyzed the area and the Jeffries’ plan. Staff will wear safety vests in the parking lot.
It will also help that 60% of Scooter’s sales will be done by 10 a.m. Dairy Queen does not open until that time, according to its website.
“[Dairy Queen has] been good neighbors. We’ll be good neighbors with them as well,” Kent said, “and the guest is gonna figure the traffic out. They’ll figure out how it flows and they always do.”
The franchise location plans to employ 25–30 people.
