44 North Coffee, which has been luring coffee-lovers near and far with its house-roasted Fair Trade/organic beans, this past summer opened a coffeehouse in downtown Stonington.

“Things are going great,” said Melissa Raftery, who owns 44 North with Megan Dewey-Wood.

The second location is in a historic building at 70 Main St. across from the public pier and thus perfect for people-watching while sipping coffee.

“Melissa and I spent last year daydreaming, scheming and researching different directions of growth for 44 North,” Dewey-Wood said. “This including the idea of expanding wholesale and broadening our market reach, et cetera.

“What we found over and over was a returning back to our foundations of revitalizing our local downtown and creating a space for community,” she continued. “Stonington seemed the perfect next home. And honestly, the former Eagull building spoke to us as the undeniably perfect location for a 44 North satellite café, with so much history and character it was irresistible.”

The dedication to the perfect cup of coffee is the same in Stonington as it is at the Deer Isle café and coffee roaster.

Laotian, Sumatran, Ugandan and Ethiopia-Yirgacheffe are just a few of the coffees roasted and served at 44 North in Deer Isle and Stonington.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER OSBORN

Customers may choose from a variety of brew methods, including a slow pour over, or a fast batch brew or a French press or Aeropress or an iced cold brew.

Favorite brews are available, such as the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, the Sumatra Permata Gay, a Decaf Peru or 44 North’s signature Royal Tar blend.

But, the roasters have created  new blends, called the Stone Cutter Series, for the Stonington cafe.

The pair said the series “embraces new origins, processing methods and experimentation in the cup, in honor of the stone cutters that made Stonington granite famous.”

Customers also can order a milkshake or an iced sipping chocolate from Black Dinah Chocolatiers or a cup of Tempest in a Teapot herbal tea.

To go along with all these delights, there are pastries and Black Dinah Chocolatier truffles and chocolates. Tinder Hearth delivers pastries Tuesdays and Fridays, but there are other baked goods, including those from Margie Litman’s Stonington Baking Co.

In addition to expanding into Stonington, bean sales through the business’s website are going strong.

There are coffee beans available for purchase as well in Stonington.

However, a few varieties of beans are only available at 44 North’s café and roaster at 11 Church St. in Deer Isle. That was planned as an enticement to keep customers visiting the Deer Isle café, where it is still business as usual.

The Deer Isle store has a pour-over bar upstairs and coffee and pastries ready to go in a self-serve station downstairs.