First Scooter’s Coffee in Warner Robins sets opening date. Meet the franchise owners

Known for its specialty coffee, fast drive-thru and friendly service, the new Scooter’s Coffee in Warner Robins is set to open Monday, President’s Day.

The drive-thru-only franchise coffee shop at 1881 Watson Blvd. is owned by Georgia natives Alex Bryant and Jamiel Peterson, who grew up together in Donalsonville.

“We’ve been friends forever — longtime friends,” Bryant said.

The friends graduated a year apart from Seminole County High School, the same school both their parents went to in Donalsonville. The men worked their first jobs together as grocery baggers and stockers at the former Harveys Supermarket in Donalsonville.

Although their careers took them in different directions, they remained close and knew they wanted to start a business together, said Peterson, an attorney who transitioned from active duty U.S. Air Force to the Missouri Air National Guard in 2020 and resides in Birmingham.

“We’re excited,” said Bryant, a physical therapist who resides in Columbus and travels a lot with his work. “It’s a new venture.”

What to expect

The drive-thru coffee shop has a small footprint of 664 square feet and offers a variety of beverage and food options. Those options include espresso-based beverages, cold brew, hot and iced coffees, Red Bull Infusions, fruit smoothies, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, omelet bites, cookies and cake bites, cinnamon rolls, and more.

Positioned off the corner of Watson Boulevard and South Houston Road, the drive-thru can be entered and exited off of South Houston Road. The drive-thru also has an eastbound, right-turn-only exit onto Watson Boulevard. Parking on site is for employees.

The drive-thru coffee shop opens extra early with those headed to work at Robins Air Force Base and Houston Healthcare especially in mind, the friends said. Hours are 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

The friends selected the specific location on Watson Boulevard because it’s a heavily-traveled road and because there’s not another coffee shop in the immediate area, said Peterson who also was attracted to the city’s efforts to revitalize this part of town.

Also, the men chose the city of Warner Robins to start their franchise because it’s a growing military town. Both were familiar with the area. Bryant’s physical therapy work has brought him to Macon and other parts of Middle Georgia.

Although they both reside out-of-town, the men want to build relationships with the community and plan to be on site often. They have a manager and assistant manager and expect to fill in where needed when in town.

Both already have been on site repeatedly and are in town gearing up to launch the opening.

“This is our business,” said Bryant, who noted that the drive back and forth from Columbus helps him to unwind. “We’re going to be here to nurture it.”

The men also expect to open additional Scooter’s Coffee locations in Warner Robins once they get their first off the ground.

‘Great coffee and good food’

Peterson became interested in the franchise after talking with a colonel in the Air Force who had signed up with Scooter’s Coffee to open some in North Carolina.

Peterson was already familiar with the Nebraska-based chain, which he noted is all over the Midwest.

“I just took an interest in it and started doing my research,” Peterson said. “I knew they had a good brand.

“They make great coffee and good food as well,” said Peterson, whose favorite Scooter’s Coffee is its signature “caramelicious” that’s made with caramel sauce and espresso and topped with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle.

Peterson likes his hot with an extra shot of espresso. His go-to food is the maple waffle sandwich and he also likes the cinnamon rolls. Bryant also favors the “caramelicious” and the maple waffle sandwich.

Bryant was sold on Scooter’s Coffee after meeting Don Eckles, who founded the chain of coffee shops with his wife, Linda, in Bellevue, Nebraska, in 1998.

“He was humble, easy to talk to,” said Bryant, who was also impressed with the company’s core values of integrity, love, humility and courage.

Customers to the Warner Robins coffee shop can expect to be greeted with “a smile, treated with respect and not waiting in line forever,” Bryant said.

“I’m excited for people to be able to try Scooter’s,” Peterson said. “I think they’re going to be pleasantly surprised.”

Scooter’s Coffee has more than 840 locations in 31 states, including nine in Georgia — with the first to open in Middle Georgia in Gray in December 2022. The Warner Robins location will be the second in Middle Georgia with others in the state mostly in the Atlanta area.

Only about two dozen Scooter’s Coffee locations nationwide are corporately owned. The company was named No. 2 Top Coffee Franchise of 2024 by Entrepreneur Magazine.

This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM.