Oregon Coffee Chain The Human Bean is Opening Its First Location in Portland Proper

Oregon-founded espresso chain The Human Bean is making a move on inner Portland after some two decades in business.

A rep for the company confirmed to Eater that the coffee chain is opening on NE Sandy — an Eater tipster suggests that it will be taking over a former KFC location at Sandy and 49th Avenue.

The Human Bean is an all-Oregon company — it started in Ashland in 1998, and now numbers 72 locations across ten mostly western states, although most of the locations are within Oregon. Most locations are also owned by franchisees. Despite its relative success in the state, it has never set foot within Portland city limits before, sticking to the suburbs, with locations in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Clackamas.

It’s mostly an espresso place with all the standards (lattes, Americanos), along with a range of sweeter mocha-centric options (and mercifully, they have straightforward names and descriptions, unlike certain coffee chains that misuse the term “macchiato”). But the Bean isn’t a third wave cafe, and sits in a different, more grab-and-go category to local players like Stumptown, or its nearest competitor on NE Sandy, Case Study. Oh, and it’s most likely to be a drive-thru coffee spot — most Human Bean locations are drive-thru only, and a tiny number have on-site seating.

• The Human Bean [Official]