CAPE CORAL

Midwest staple Scooter's Coffee opens in Cape Coral

Evelyn Longa
Special to The News-Press
Scooter’s Coffee of Cape Coral, the first Scooter's franchise in Florida, officially opened on July 15 and had a grand opening celebration on July 22.

Suzi Thomas and her husband Pat were looking for something to do in retirement.

But instead of painting lessons, joining a golf club or hanging out at the beach a couple of times a week, they opted to go in a much different direction.

So in November, they left Omaha, Nebraska -- where Suzi worked in sales and where Pat worked in the sheriff’s department for 26 years -- and headed to Cape Coral to open a franchise called Scooter’s Coffee.

Haven’t heard of it? Then you probably haven’t been to the Midwest.

“There’s one on every corner in Omaha,” Suzi said. “It’s just recently gone nationwide. It’s more popular than Starbucks in the Midwest. I have been going to Scooter’s my whole life.”

All drinks on the menu at Scooter's Coffee can be served hot, iced or blended.


In fact, according to Suzi, Scooter’s is one the fastest growing franchises in the coffee business. Suzi and Pat’s franchise, located on Del Prado Blvd. at SE 10th Street, is the first to open in Florida.

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Scooter’s officially opened on July 15 and had a grand opening celebration on July 22.

While coffee and espresso are the specialties of the house, Scooter’s has more to offer including a variety of smoothies. There’s also a breakfast menu that includes homemade fresh pastries that contain no preservatives.

Suzi said while she and Pat are happy to be open for business, there were some frustrations with being able to get the doors open.

“It took us months just to get our permits,” Suzi said. “There was a lot of jumping through the hoops.”

But the wait was worth it based on what happened the first day the doors were open.

“We were busy all day,” Suzi said. “I was just glad to make it through this first week. My husband primarily got the thing built and I’ve been doing hiring and training.”

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Suzi and Pat plan to enjoy the fruits of their labor as they settle in to their new life. Pat has connections to Cape Coral. His grandparents lived on the Cape and he used to visit them here.

For people who have moved to Florida from the Midwest, Scooter’s represents a piece of home.

“We’ve had a lot of people come in that know Scooter’s and they are so happy,” Suzi said. “You have to come in and experience it. We have free Wi-Fi. You can come in, sit in our comfy chairs and chat with your friends. It’s a great atmosphere.”

Suzi and Pat Thomas own the Cape Coral Scooter's Coffee franchise. They are from Nebraska. Pat used to visit his grandparents on Cape Coral.




Q&A with Suzi Thomas, owner of Scooter’s Coffee in Cape Coral

What is your favorite drink? 
I love coffee, but I don’t like it sweet. I’m hooked on the mocha drinks. Mainly iced or blended. I also love the fruit smoothies. They are made with all natural fruit puree. We sell tons of smoothies.

What is your favorite thing to eat on the breakfast menu?
I have always loved the breakfast burritos. I probably had those twice a week when I lived in Omaha. We sell four different burritos: Southwest, spicy sausage, bacon and potato.

If the President of the United States came into your Scooter’s, what would you serve him (or her)?
That is hard to say. Probably one of our cappuccino blenders with espresso in it.

What is the signature drink at Scooters?
The Caramelicious made with espresso, milk, caramel sauce and whipped cream.

What is unique about Scooter’s?
We pull the shots fresh for every drink. It makes our drinks taste amazing. And we serve breakfast all day.

SCOOTER’S COFFEE
Features: All drinks are available hot, iced or blended. You can also order smoothies, teas and breakfast burritos and pastries.
Location: 1014 Del Prado Blvd. Cape Coral
Hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

Call: 673-9328

Promotions: With a VIP card, buy 9 drinks and get one free. Buy a $25 gift card and get $5 off that day. Free coffee or tea for police officers and first responders.

Web:scooterscoffee.com

DID YOU KNOW?
The Scooter’s Coffee franchise was founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles. They opened their first drive-through coffeehouse in Bellevue, Nebraska. The name of the franchise comes from the co-founder’s daughter, who was nicknamed “Scooter.” According to the company web site, the name fit well with the mission to keep customers happy by helping them “scoot in and scoot out” quickly.