In Beaverton, Oregon, a different type of “restock” took place two miles from Nike WHQ. Deadstock Coffee officially opened their second location as owner, and former Nike footwear developer, Ian Williams continues to blend his passions together for the community’s benefit. For Williams, Beaverton was on a short list of cities where Deadstock’s vision can flourish.
“I’m always connected to the sneaker community because of Deadstock,” Williams says, “and it’s what I like. I told myself I’d only open another shop if there was an opportunity in Beaverton or Tokyo.” When a site in Beaverton became available, Deadstock laced up and took the leap.
Deadstock is a great fit in historic downtown Beaverton, but things look a little different for Williams and company. Deadstock’s original location in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood is an intimate 480 square feet, while their new location is five times larger. With more space comes more opportunity to extend the design intention and presentation of the Deadstock brand.
“Our shop in Chinatown is like your high school bedroom, while this new shop is when you get the career, start making a bit of money and want to decorate your house,” Williams explained.
It was a team effort to pull their new space together while maintaining Deadstock’s iconic atmosphere, and Williams leaned on a community of partners within his circle to develop the shop’s concept. The prior tenants of the building left a few key items to get them started on the right foot, including the barber chair and a couple of grinders in great condition. One of the largest contributors to the shop is Miracle Sign Co., who also owns the building. Deadstock let them cook on fabrications in the shop, most notably the counters, wall graphics, and the hallway’s wheat paste poster collage. As a gift prior to opening, the Miracle team gifted Williams a pair of A Ma Manière x Jordan 1 Highs in a custom Deadstock Coffee box.
Miracle Sign didn’t stop there, they’re responsible for the custom wrap on Deadstock’s La Marzocco Strada two-group espresso machine. Orox Leather Company also worked on the machine’s finishing touches. Two Mazzer Super Jolly V Up electronic espresso grinders flank the espresso machine, which were handed-off by See See Motor Coffee Co. Deadstock brought in their own custom Mahlkönig EK43 grinder. His friends at Miir provided tea kettles and pour-overs. Customers will drink their coffee out of Loveramics drinkware and have the pleasure of enjoying food and pastries from their Balmuda toaster and oven, imported from Japan. Williams’ intentionality with the gear in this shop allows the Deadstock team to flex their coffee muscles.
“Our Beaverton location will be our best expression of coffee and gives us the chance to show off our refined taste that we developed over the years,” Williams tells Sprudge.
The prospect of going deeper and bolder into coffee is an attractive one, especially the opportunities of hosting more coffee-forward events in their space. Deadstock is known as a cultural hub for many events, but their first location’s diminutive size didn’t allow for many opportunities to host. This required the Deadstock team to bring the energy and vibes on the road to other spaces. “We had to give our energy away and go somewhere else when hosting events,” he tells us. “Now we get to do it here in our own space.”
Deadstock’s popular Deadstock Run Club will continue, but the new shop’s extra leg room opens the aperture for more activities. The shop contains a coffee lab and gallery that’s decorated with shoes, books, and a La Marzocco Linea Mini and Lux D coffee grinder. It’s an idyllic space for cuppings, sneaker debates, and finishing a last-minute brand presentation. Most importantly, the room contains a large community table encouraging human interaction, which ties back to Deadstock’s mission. The “OG” location still holds an important piece to the team as this new shop develops its own character.
“The first shop is the soul of Deadstock Coffee. I never intend to leave it,” says Williams.
A few days after opening, Deadstock is trending as a popular gathering spot for Nike employees and sneaker enthusiasts in the area. Most importantly, it’s proving to be a solid place for people to enjoy their coffee, which—as you may or may not be aware—should be dope.
Giovanni Fillari is Brand Marketing Specialist at Nike and the publisher of @_coffeefeed. He is the honorable mention Sprudgie Award recipient for Social Media in 2018 and 2021. Read more Giovanni Fillari for Sprudge.
