Daily Inspiration: Meet Sloan Dorr

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sloan Dorr. 

Hi Sloan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My background is in the outdoor industry and footwear sales. I’ve always had a passion for customer service and sales, but only sales in the sense of getting people what they really want, not selling them something they don’t need. Mixing that mindset with a love for coffee makes owning a coffee roastery fun, exciting, and fulfilling. 

I started working at Dead River Coffee Roasters in 2018. The previous owner, Theo McCracken, strategically pulled me away from four other part-time jobs I was working at the time and offered me a full-time position. I’d always loved coffee, coffee shops, and coffee culture, and as I began learning more about roasting and what Dead River was meant to our community, I was in love with the business side of it too. When 2020 hit, he and I started my second business, Misery Bay Coffee, and I began to see that I more or less seemed to know what I was doing when it came to flavor profiles, business, and coffee aesthetic. 

In November of 2021, I bought him out, and it’s been a whirlwind of a year! I can’t believe summer is already over! 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The mental struggle I think we all find ourselves in, especially after graduating college with a degree that doesn’t seem to mean a whole lot, is real and, of course, a huge challenge. I’m a woman that has bounced around to 5 states, 2 countries, and countless cities since I graduated from university. So smooth? Definitely not. My resume could be 10 pages long with all of the jobs, skills, volunteer experience, and certifications I have. But once I found myself in a position where I wanted to continue learning about what I was doing it all kind of fell into place. 

Once making the decision to buy Dead River Coffee the business plan came easy to me; I had ideas on how to grow, welcome in more people, and expand our reach. It all took time and a lot of help from a lot of really smart people; I asked lots of questions–but once we signed the papers, it’s been a huge year of learning. Nothing is smooth about owning your own business…or two. But I keep learning, I’m open to it, and that makes it easier. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are the first coffee roaster in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Dead River Coffee Roasters began in 2002, and we roast all of our coffee in-house. I think we’re most known for being a quirky and eclectic café that serves some of the best coffee the US has to offer. We really just serve damn good coffee. That’s it. At the end of the day, that’s really it–a damn good cup of coffee. 

Since I’ve taken ownership, I am most proud of my staff and their ability to be so eager to learn and compassionate towards our community. I can teach just about anyone to pull a good shot of espresso; I can’t teach them to have the heart that each of my staff members has. 

Our customer base is made of up just about every demographic (cop-out answer, I know, but it’s true!) My staff treats everyone equally, human, and with just as much enthusiasm to help each and every person all day long. I know that most of these guys aren’t going to be baristas forever, most are college students, and this is a first or second job for many of them. I believe it’s my responsibility to lead them with compassion, and in turn, I learn as much from them as they do from me and this job. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Marquette! I moved here from Chicago, IL, and it was the best move I ever made. Obviously, Lake Superior is incredible; I don’t jump in as often as I should–but I do make a point to get lost in the woods a couple days of the week; that brings me back to me, clears my head. I do wish we had some more options for good cocktails and good places to eat. We do have some great places, but it would nice to have more choices. But very few complaints; the UP is great. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.deadrivercoffee.com and www.miserybaycoffee.com
• Instagram: deadrivercoffee
• Facebook: /drcmqt

Image Credits
Sarah Reynolds
Tim Beiber