Matt Toomey is ready to bring some good vibes to Montrose. The veteran coffee roaster, barista, and coffee shop owner has claimed the former Inversion/Canary space at 1953 Montrose Blvd for a brick and mortar outpost of Little Dreamer Coffee that opened quietly last week.
Known as the founder of Heights staple Boomtown Coffee, Toomey created Little Dreamer in 2020. Previously, Little Dreamer occupied a kiosk at the Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks, but it closed after a couple of years. He’s feeling very optimistic about Little Dreamer’s new home, which has been a coffee shop for almost 20 years.
“We love good coffee. We like creating a space that has a good frequency where people want to visit. Create a culture without our staff that embraces people’s strengths and gives the ability to be present,” Toomey says.
“I’m older. I’ve doing this for a long time. If I hadn’t gotten this, I don’t know what I’d be doing. I needed this an an anchor for the growth of my business.”
That business is rooted in the coffee beans Toomey still roasts himself, such as the Ozolotepec from Oaxaca and a house blend that’s designed for espresso. Like many high quality coffee shops, Little Dreamer makes all of its syrups and sauces in-house. The salted butterscotch has emerged as a fan favorite.
Try a salted butterscotch latte at Little Dreamer Coffee.Photo by Eric Sandler
“It’s an unctuous, thick sauce,” Toomey says. “It’s got a weight and texture. It’s sweet and buttery. We top it with pink Himalayan sea salt. It’s really good.”
Little Dreamer will pair its coffees with sweet and savory pies. In addition to baking a few in house, Toomey plans to work with local bakers, including CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winner Jane Wild, Little Kitchen, and Red Dessert Dive. To emphasize the connection, the coffee shop will celebrate its grand opening on March 14, aka Pi(e) Day.
“We’re going to go hard with pies. Sweet, savory — I love Aussie meatpies, Toomey says. “I think they’re underrepresented. Where else can you get a good cup of coffee and a slice of pie?”
Little Dreamer has grown by serving at both the Urban Harvest farmers market on Saturdays and the Heights Mercantile market that’s held on the second and fourth Sunday of every month. While the business has had its up and downs, Toomey is feeling optimistic about finally being able to serve people on a daily basis.
“I want to create a space where people feel that good energy,” he says. “That’s my schtick. Keep things positive. Keep things flowing. I think it’s evident in the things I do.”
