Caribou Coffee Burnsville: Across the Street from Nicollet Commons Park

The Start Up: A Coffee Company Born in Alaska, Raised in Minnesota

Caribou Coffee started with a vacation. In the early 1990s, Boston management consultant John Puckett took a trip to Denali National Park in Alaska and came home inspired by the caribou roaming the tundra. He and his wife, Kim, decided to build a coffee company around that rugged northern spirit—warm cabins, real ingredients, and a shop that felt like a lodge, not a laboratory.

The first store almost didn't happen. Puckett signed a lease in a downtown Minneapolis office tower, but the deal collapsed when another tenant claimed exclusive rights to sell coffee in the building. Pushed to the suburbs instead, the first Caribou Coffee opened on December 14, 1992, at 44th and France in Edina—a short drive from Burnsville.

The little Edina shop became a Minnesota institution. Caribou went public in 2005, was acquired by JAB Holding Company in 2012 in a $340 million deal, and today operates more than 800 locations worldwide from its headquarters in Brooklyn Center—still Minnesota, still home. Along the way, it committed to 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.

Coffee First, Then Nicollet Commons Park

Located at 12601 Nicollet Avenue across from Nicollet Commons Park, this Burnsville spot offers convenient access to local amenities and nearby theatergoers heading to the Ames Center.

• Location: 12601 Nicollet Ave, Burnsville, MN 55337
• Phone: (952) 895-1010
• Hours: Monday–Friday 5:30 AM–8:00 PM; Saturday–Sunday 6:00 AM–8:00 PM
• Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, all-day breakfast, outdoor seating, and adjacent parking in the Heart of the City Ramp.

The Neighbor Next Door: The Ames Center

As the crown jewel of Burnsville's 54-acre Heart of the City downtown district, this performing arts pavilion sits right across the park from Caribou Coffee.

• Venue Layout: Features a 1,014-seat Masquerade Dance Theater, a 150-seat Black Box theater, and an on-site art gallery behind its transparent two-story glass lobby.
• Accolades: Officially voted the 2024 Sun Reader's Choice Best Place to Hear Live Music.

Ride on MVTA Connect to and from Caribou Coffee

• Curb-to-Curb II Service: Accessible vans or small buses drop you off directly at your destination.
• The Flat Cost: A budget-friendly $3.00 per person each way.
• Payment Methods: Payable via cash, Go-To Card.
• Service Hours: Operates daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM (plan ahead for late-night game conclusions).

How to Book Your Ride

• Order via Smartphone: Use the RideMVTA App (iOS and Android). Input your pickup location, track your driver's real-time ETA, and purchase tickets directly in the app.
• Order via Phone Call: Call MVTA Customer Service at 952-882-7500 to place a live ride request with a representative.