The newest place to get your caffeine on in Park City officially opened its doors this month. Owned by Park City local Jax Mariash, STOKED got its start in Oregon, where it continues to thrive today. At STOKED Park City, located inside the O.P. Rockwell building on Main Street, you can stock up on their signature organic blends and sip on lattes while working away.
How do you know that the coffee at STOKED will get you, well, stoked? Owner Jax is a champion ultra marathoner and she relies upon her beans and beverages to energize her for long runs. “We are thrilled to be here in Park City and serve 100% organic craft coffee to all of the locals and tourists,” Jax says. “We are excited to become the best coffee of Park City.” Her customer list also includes offices and restaurants, as well as adventurers like herself in need of a buzz on-the-go. For the latter, Jax has dreamt up STOKED STIX™, packets of instant organic coffee for “instant stoke.”
We talked with Jax to learn more about how she came to establish STOKED and where she likes to run in Park City.
2016 4Deserts Antarctica Race. Photo Credit: Myke Hermsmeyer
Choose Park City: When did you first open STOKED and how did you decide to get into the coffee business?
Jax Mariash: I first opened STOKED in June of 2014 in Hood River, Oregon. I have dreamed of having my own coffee business since I was 11 years old. I love the combination of providing a premium craft cup of coffee with the passion for the outdoors in an outdoor town.
How did you first decide to open a STOKED location in Park City? And what led you to move here?
I used to work for Powderbird heli ski as a marketing director so I spent a bit of time in Park City. Following that, I lived in Jackson Hole in the winters, so I would drive to Park City to fly to international races for running and I spent more and more time here. I fell in love with Park City and decided it would be the perfect second location for STOKED and for a place to settle down personally. I moved in August of 2016 and began seeding the idea in town until I found the perfect location to open.
How is STOKED coffee different from other local roasters?
We come from the craft coffee mecca that surrounds the bay area, Seattle and Portland. Our roasting and the drinks we prepare are set to the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) standards. Thus, every drink served is performed to perfection in the world of craft coffee. This ensures that we provide legitimacy and expertise in every cup starting with the roast all the way to the prepared cup. Everything is meticulously measured to provide utmost quality for our guests.
Favorite origin and favorite STOKED blend?
As a roast master, the answer always becomes everything and depends on the mood I am in. It is such a personal preference that we don’t want to skew someone to like our favorite when they might have another. It is a lot like wine with so many origins to choose from that then can lead to so many profiles and roasts of choice. If I had to choose I, would say that I love the flavor notes a lot in Ethiopia Yirgacheffe beans. From the signature series blends at STOKED, I tend to brew a French press of the Bluebird blend almost daily.
Go-to coffee drink before and after a training run?
I enjoy a French press with XCT oil, grass-fed butter, and collagen protein blended when I wake up and typically pre-run. After I enjoy an 8-oz latte with Oatly milk. It is my new favorite.
What’s your favorite trail run in Park City?
My favorite is the crest trail because you feel like you are sky running with epic views from every direction.
What’s next for STOKED once the dust settles on the new location?
For STOKED ROASTERS, the plan is to get both locations and our roasting business humming along smoothly and then push STOKED STIX very aggressively to the outdoor market. That is our instant coffee that we created that comes in medium roast and dark roast to provide premium 100% organic coffee to the masses wherever you might go.
If you subscribe to my newsletter, then you can take advantage of a special promo that I partnered with STOKED to offer this February. Not a subscriber? Contact me and I’ll be happy to send you the promo code.
