Great Barrington—Holli Stanton grew up in Hoboken and Secaucus New Jersey, but her heart has been in the Berkshires for many years. “I’ve lived here in Berkshire County since 2000 when I went to boarding school in Stockbridge,” Stanton told The Berkshire Edge. “I love the community that I’ve gained from living here. More than anything, I feel a connection to this area more than any other place in my life. That , and the scenery isn’t too bad either.”
Stanton said that she has worked in the food service industry since she was 15 years old and, over the years, Stanton has worked for Fuel Coffee House and The Bistro Box
Stanton opened her first store, Café Holli at 200 Main Street on September 28.
From 2019 until last year, the location was formally The Flying Church Coffee House and, very briefly, Carly’s Angels.
“I think connection to my customers is vital when it comes to a coffee house,” Stanton said. “The morning coffee routine is pretty sacred and ritualistic to many people. It’s important to be consistent and to provide service every day for people at a price that’s reasonably affordable for the area. Taking care of people and setting them on their way every day means a lot to me.”
Stanton said “It’s important to make people feel seen when they come in.”
“When a regular customer comes in, we’ll know their order, and we’ll know their favorite snack,” Stanton said. “We’re not curing cancer or changing the world, but I like to think that we’re making positive ripples in the world. We let customers know that somebody cares about them, and they get a good cup of coffee and a sandwich, and off they go into their morning.”
Café Holli uses coffee from Barrington Coffee Roasters, with milk from High Lawn Farm, both in Lee. The Café currently offers multiple blends of coffee drinks including lattes, Americanos, lattes, and espressos.
Stanton also offers pastries and breakfast sandwiches, but she said the Café’s specialty is her homemade scones.
“I make the scones we serve fresh every day,” Stanton said. “I have spent years diving into making scones and perfecting them. Sometimes you’ll pick up a scone and it is dry. I have worked very hard creating scones that are not dry and are delicious.
Stanton said Café Holli offers maple buttermilk, vegan blueberry rosemary, and cornbread blueberry scones.
Stanton said that she is hopeful that Café Holli will catch on throughout the Berkshire County community. “I want all my customers to know that I am grateful for them every day and I love them,” Stanton said. “It makes me happy to take care of them and they can rely on us to send them off on their day. A coffee shop is very important in small towns, and it is a meeting hub for lots of people.”
Café Holli, located at 200 Main St., is open 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, go to the Café’s Facebook page.
