The Bean has Big Plans for its Fifth Location in Islip
Long Island coffee chain the Bean has made its mark among locals with its four coffee shop locations, a bagel shop, and a roasting company, East End Coffee Roasters, from which it imports and roasts its own coffee.
-Photo Credit: The Bean
The coffee chain has established itself quite comfortably as a coffee connoisseur on the island, and it only hopes to increase its reach and reputation with the opening of a new location in Islip.
The new location, which will inhabit the former location of Viking Restaurant on 176 Main St. in Islip, is still in the beginning phases of its inception. Co-owner Sal Gervasi detailed the process to the Long Island Wave, including the hopeful addition of a drive-thru to the location, which is contingent on Town of Islip approval.
Currently, the Bean is at the point of drawing up two sets of architectural plans-- one including a drive-thru and one without-- to submit for approval alongside its Town of Islip application. The town will complete a planning review and decide which of the two plans they will allow the Islip Bean location to use.
“All of this is a big waiting game, you have to put applications in, have meetings, site reviews, ground testing, all kinds of things that come with developing a property like that.”
-Photo Credit: The Bean
Although there is a lot of work to be done before the Islip Bean is up and running, drive-thru or not, Gervasi has big plans for the future of the location already.
If plans for the drive-thru fall through, Gervasi says the Islip location will have three walk-up windows for patrons to use if they prefer a quick pickup option. Additionally, it will feature an outdoor seating deck and a full kitchen.
“It's not going to be a diner, but it will have a cooking kitchen, so we’ll be able to do egg sandwiches and lunch. People can sit down, do their work, have their cappuccinos and eat,” Gervasi said.
Gervasi said the new location may also someday acquire a liquor license to serve up caffeinated alcoholic beverages with Bailey’s, Kahlua, and more.
“We’re not looking to have a bar, we want to offer coffee-centered drinks that would allow people to go to a nice quiet place, sit at a table in the evening and have a nice alcoholic coffee drink,” he said.
Similar to the drive-thru, these plans would also be contingent on approval from the Town of Islip.
Ambitiously, the Bean is also looking to buy up the property next to the future Islip Bean location to expand the shop even further. However, turning the location into a part of the shop would be easier said than done, Gervasi said.
“If we acquire that second property, DEC [the Department of Ecological Conservation] gets involved because it sits on the south side of Montauk Highway and there’s a very high water table there. DEC has to give their approval for us to extend the property over. We have to go through some hoops before we get to that point,” he said.
For now, Gervasi plans to focus on the current Islip property the Bean holds, and the hopeful approval of its drive-thru plans. He currently estimates and hopes for a mid to late 2022 opening for the Islip Bean. For now, you can visit the Bean at its Babylon, North Babylon, Bay Shore, and Patchogue locations.
