We’re not sure what we thought Boston Stoker was – someone told us it was a “local chain” so perhaps we thought it’d be more along the lines of a “fluff” coffeeshop, but boy are we happy to report that WE WERE SO WRONG!
First, we have to give props to Boston Stoker for the BEST level of customer service of anywhere on our Dayton coffee crawl. We walked into this giant downtown place and the baristas were warm and welcoming. But beyond that, the female barista told us about the company, how it got started, what they do for their farmers in Central
America, and some other interesting things that make Boston Stoker special (did you know they also sell cigars?!?). They also get bonus “welcome to Dayton and Boston Stoker” points for giving us SWAG before we left. J wears his Boston Stoker sunglasses and the stickers will go somewhere. 🙂
Ok so HUGE PROPS to you all for the customer service prize of the day. Now onto the reviews!
Decor and atmosphere: The shop was GIANT, which was surprising for a downtown coffee shop. It had high ceilings, loads of natural light, a great curves in its design (see pics) with a modern aesthetic. Although it had a bit of a “corporate feel”, given that it was a downtown shop and right in the middle of a bunch of office buildings it did not feel cold or out of place. The store was very clean and well organized. The barista was informing us the store (and the company itself) had recently undergone some remodeling/rebranding. It was a beautiful shop.
Drink options: J ordered a pourover of the El Llano Tarrazu and noted it had a lighter mouthfeel and gentle acidity. He added a lump of raw sugar and it was the perfect way to balance it out.
T ordered a pourover of the decaf Columbia Alma del Cafe. It had a fuller mouthfeel and was a bit earthy with fruity notes. Preferring darker roasts, this was a bit too acidic for her personal preference, so buying a bag to take home wasn’t going to happen, but she DID find out they had a decaf Highlander Grogg – something more rare to find – and a bag of that was definitely purchased.
They served our pourover coffee on specially made trays, giving us the “extra” in a small lidded carafe, and providing small stirring
spoons. It’s the first experience like this we had but it’s common in Europe. We liked the added touch this gave the whole experience.
Decaf and non-dairy options: decaf was available as a pourover and in espresso. Don’t hate – we got so caught up in talking that we totally forgot to ask about milk options.
Whole bean and retail: There was a really great variety of whole bean for sale. The decaf Highlander Grogg we referenced earlier had been roasted just a few days prior. There was also a great selection of tea, chocolate, mugs, and other coffee paraphernalia. They also had t-shirts and some other retail items.
Food and pastry options: the shop sold Taza chocolate (which we both got, pictured above with our coffee) and some convenience items like Mike Sells chips (a local favorite). Pastries were also available.
Conveniences: free WIFI, cigars (?!?) – it’s true!, restrooms for customers (it’s a downtown store so they’re locked – keep that in mind), a variety of brewing methods available.
Parking: Because this is a downtown location, be prepared to pay for parking at a meter. We would’ve stayed longer but ran out of change for the meter.
Final thoughts: Our experience at Boston Stoker far exceeded our expectations. The coffee and the experience were fantastic, but the customer service we received just took it to a whole new level. We’d definitely recommend a visit and would go back for sure!
15 cities of local coffee visits. in 2015. 
I am trying to get my hands on a pair of Boston Stoker sunglasses for a beloved youth pastor at my church. He lost his. 😦 I’ve called their corprorate office and the local stores. Did you get extra? Willing to sell one?
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We didn’t get any extras! We each got one. Our adorable pup ate one of them. 😦 The hubs is wearing the other. We got ours at the downtown location but that was a few months ago. Good luck!
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