Yeti’s Post appeared seemingly out of nowhere in downtown Driggs; the donut shop’s owners, Seth and Brook Nelson, took over the space on May 18 and after fevered painting and renovation opened for business in the second week of June.

They sell not only fresh donuts and coffee but also a limited menu of eclectic food you can’t find anywhere else in Driggs: dragon fruit puree bowls; flavorful jasmine rice bowls with chili paste, Thai basil and egg; and breakfast sandwiches on donut buns with bacon so succulent it almost resembles pork belly.

“It’s the kind of food I like to eat, out of a deli cup, when I’m working the line in a kitchen,” Seth explained. “I like food that has personality.”

A Wyoming native, Seth moved to Los Angeles to attend culinary school, and then worked in a series of California kitchens. He wanted to get his family back to Wyoming so he took a job managing the Mangy Moose in Teton Village, but settled in Alta because it was more affordable.

He always wanted to open a restaurant but the reality of the staffing crunch, not only here but everywhere in the restaurant industry, made him decide to simplify his dream. At Yeti’s Post, he doesn’t need to hire wait staff or a big crew of cooks; right now he’s just cranking out donuts and rice bowls on his own in the tiny kitchen.

He’s glad to no longer commute every day.

“I feel like I’m here now,” he said. “When I was at the Mangy Moose I wasn’t connected to anywhere, I didn’t have a network. Now I get to hang out in Driggs and get to know people.”

Brook works full time at Huntsman Springs but said she tries to be as good a wingman as possible for Seth. She painted the shop and helps with organizing and promoting the business. They have two young kids and Seth is happy they’ll grow up in the friendly atmosphere of Yeti’s Post.

“I remember getting donuts with my dad and now I see kids light up when they look at the display case,” Seth said. “It’s pretty cool to be part of that.”

The Nelsons had been hunting for a space for a couple of years, and when Cicero’s closed they jumped at the chance. One of the fun parts of their location at the corner of 1st and Little is that customers like sharing the building’s history. Most recently it was a bakery and bistro but it has also served as a private residence and housed the newspaper and a real estate office, to name a few uses.

Seth said they’re figuring it out as they go. The demand for donuts has surprised him; they get wiped out almost every day. People stop in before work to grab a dozen for the office or job site, and visitors trickle in all day for a raspberry-glazed or passionfruit-filled donut. He likes offering savory options, though.

“A donut is actually a cool vehicle,” he said. “When you take away the glaze and filling and sugar, it’s just a good fluffy piece of bread and you can do a lot with it.”

“Driggs is so charming,” Brook said. “We want to keep it that way by offering another interesting food choice instead of opening a cookie cutter franchise.”