Sept. 15, 2021

Tea is going from no coffee shops to three in a short amount of time.

The drive-up Central Dakota Perk hut started in July, Zooks Coffee Bar with seating and a drive-thru opened today, and a Scooter’s Coffee drive-up kiosk is coming.

The newest one, Zooks, is meant to be a place for the community to gather, owner Linda Kokenge said.

“To me, it’s a gift to our community from me. I’ve been here 27 years. It’s a great place to raise your kids, and Tea residents need something like this, and not just a coffee shop but a really cool coffee shop.”

She describes it as the vibe of a New York City loft. The coffee shop has exposed duct work, black and white walls, and an “Instagramable” brick wall with an open space that has artwork painted on it by a recent Tea Area High School graduate. That spot will feature different artists and be painted over once or twice a year, Kokenge said.

Coffee drinkers can sit at tables, in comfortable chairs or at a counter along the windows with their laptops connected to Wi-Fi.

There’s a small meeting room where groups can gather.

For residents on their way to work or school, there’s a drive-up window.

Zooks is located at 815 Gateway Lane in the same building as a child care center.

Zooks’ coffee beans come from Parable Coffee Co., which does its roasting in Tea and is owned by Brandon Wollman.

“I love the idea again that he’s local – big push for that with me – and he’s a small-business owner just like myself, and he’s been in it for years. His coffee is amazing.”

Wollman’s daughter Hannah also is working as the lead barista at Zooks, Kokenge said.

In addition to espresso drinks and regular brewed coffee, the menu includes smoothies, Lotus plant energy drinks and tea. Some drink options are gluten-free, she noted.

For food, Zooks makes cinnamon rolls and offers baked goods from Sassy Cakes of Pipestone, Minnesota. Once more equipment arrives, Kokenge will begin serving sandwiches and soup for lunch.

“I’m hoping for a couple of soups during the day, especially during fall and winter. We’re going to do sandwiches, like maybe egg salad and chicken salad. … We’re going to do something like you would make at home.”

Zooks will embrace the community, Kokenge said. A local author is having a book signing Saturday, and Kokenge volunteers with Almost Home Canine Rescue and will host events for the organization. She has contacted the high school about hosting an art show for students. A “pay it forward” board allows customers to buy a drink in advance for someone like a first responder or teacher or anyone who needs a lift.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

“We may have to play with those hours, especially during winter. … I originally was going to close at 5, but I had several parents from the community reach out and say, ‘please stay open later so our kids don’t have to drive into Sioux Falls to hang at one of the other shops.’”

Nurses who live in the community and work in Sioux Falls also asked her to stay open into the evening so they could buy a coffee on their way into the city, she said.

Closer to downtown, Central Dakota Perk offers an extensive menu of hot and cold lattes and blended lattes, smoothies and frappes, along with chai tea — all in a compact space.

The hut is owned by Jen and Jed McNaughton, who operated it in Presho before moving to Tea.

Their teenage daughter Izzy was the driving force behind starting the business. Izzy and her sister enjoyed going to coffee shops when the family traveled, and Izzy said she wanted to work at one someday, Jen McNaughton said. That led to Central Dakota Perk, where nearly everyone is the family of six is involved.

Izzy, who works at the hut before and after school, is the one responsible for picking the flavor of the day. It highlights options that are available every day, “but a lot of people like to have that (suggestion), so they’ll say, ‘oh, I’ll try that,’” McNaughton said.

“We have basically any kind of latte flavor that you’ve ever had anywhere,” she said.

“Our options are open anytime, so they’re not seasonal, they’re not limited. All the pumpkin spice, you can get that anytime of the year.”

Cold brew coffee is a new addition, and Central Dakota Perk has several options for special diets. There are sugar-free, gluten-free and keto-friendly drinks, and almond milk and oat milk options.

The hut at 306 E. First St. features double drive-thru windows.

“Our double windows are open the entire time that we’re here, so you can pull up on either side, and all you do is pull up to the window, you order, you get your drink, and you go. You don’t have to worry about going to another window or turning a corner, turning around.”

Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The third coffee shop coming to Tea, Scooter’s Coffee, will be near Zooks. Franchise owners Travis and Kristen Rhoades of Sioux Falls will open their 12th location, most of which are in the Sioux Falls area.

“We’re excited to be in Tea. It’s a growing community,” Travis Rhoades said.

They started looking at the Tea market a few years ago but were looking for the right location to become available.

Scooter’s will be on the northeast corner of Heritage Parkway and Gateway Lane, just south of a car wash that’s being built there. It will be a kiosk version with a drive-thru and a walk-up window.

“We intend to start construction this year, but I’m hesitant to give a timeline for completion because of the construction timeline with products and people available to do the work,” Rhoades said. “We hope to open early next year. If we can yet this year, that’s great.”