Third Perk owner announces plans to open shop in Beavercreek

A coffee shop that’s as Dayton-as-it-gets is gearing up to open shop inside The Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek.

Third Perk Coffeehouse & Wine Bar, primarily located in downtown Dayton at 146 E. 3rd St., has announced plans for a fourth shop. Though an exact opening date has not been set, Third Perk founder and owner, Juanita Darden, said she expects the new location to be ready in the next 60 days. Third Perk will be situated in the mall food court between an Auntie Anne’s soft pretzel shop and a Chick-fil-A restaurant.

A first for the Third Perk name, fresh donuts, fried in-store, will be sold at the Fairfield Mall store. Darden expects fresh donuts to also be made and sold at the downtown location in spring 2022.

The new location will also include the specialty drink menu paying homage to several Dayton funk legends, $2 any brew Tuesdays and more.

The three existing Third Perk shops are downtown on 3rd, inside Gem City Market at 324 Salem Ave. and inside Dayton Mall at 2700 Miamisburg Centerville Rd.

In January, Third Perk signed a lease with Fairfield Mall, and was supposed to enter the former Starbucks space inside the mall. However, plans changed over the course of the year, and Darden said she is happier with the new space.

“For me, it was a great move because that’s a focal point in the food court,” Darden said. “It was a no brainer. It is a pushback (from the original timeline), but I believe on a spiritual standpoint, that all things happen in time and for a reason.”

Darden said she expected to be ready for a Fairfield Mall opening by spring this year. Though at the same time, the opening of Gem City Market, and consequently, the Third Perk location inside the grocer, was pushed back from an anticipated January opening to May 12.

Darden said she was able to focus on the opening of the Gem City Market shop and learned a lot ahead of the opening of this next store. The hope is the Fairfield Mall Third Perk shop will be the brand’s highest-trafficked location, she said.

After the new shop gets up and running, Darden said she will focus on building up the community surrounding the downtown location. Later this fall and winter, customers can expect Third Perk to bring back some original Third Perk traditions like Open Mic Night and later hours.

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