“Tocororo is a community space, a home, a place to gather, a place for art and above all a place to enjoy life. We look forward to seeing your lovely faces!!!”
When my favorite hooman, Dave, asked if I would like to be hired on to run and monitor Tocororo’s social media accounts back in the fall of 2024, I was (obviously) very much elated. Not only was I enrolled in a Digital Marketing course at Grand Valley at the time, I was eager to anything creative to begin the transition away from the 9-5 office job that was rapidly eating away at my entire existence. My task for Toco? Photograph food and beverage, capture candid moments, and document planned events, as the voice of Tocororo.
Tocororo isn’t just the voices of the owners Connor and Dave, nor that of the employees. It’s what brings regulars, and friends in. Not just the vibes we try to maintain, but the ones organically created by the constant visits of the people we love, mixed with the ones who stumble in and become new friends. It’s not the bartenders, the drinks, the food, and the ambience (although obviously without, Toco would not exist) alone, but the combination of all of the above, with the experience of being part of what makes Tocororo not only a neighborhood, nerdy rum bar, but a safe space.
Fast forward to mid-June of this year and you are reading the words of Toco’s newest/least experienced bartender. Although I am extremely green to slinging drinks, I am not a stranger to working in the service industry. Back in the day, when I was just a wee lad, I spent several years under the tyranny of the Golden Arches. Again, this was YEARS ago, and after far too long masking as a desk-jockey, I was nervous to return to something that I was very rusty with. Add to it working closely with my partner, close friends, oh and learning an entirely new skillset. When there is so much love, and family, shit can get stressful at times. That’s where Little Baby Mondays, trips to Cedar Point and the Detroit Zoo, venting over coffees/shots of Paddy’s, and bonding over the hyper fixation of the month comes in.
(My greatest flex of 2026 will be convincing everyone to re-download and play Pokémon Go!)
Learning how to become a bartender has not only been a great experience for my neurodivergent brain, it has helped create the motivation for wanting to create more. Working 40 + hours behind a screen at the office job left little want to continue to do so, despite wanting the creative outlet I was pushing for. I not only have conversations with friends on the daily, I get to experience first hand what it is like to watch someone come into the space for the very first time.
When they place an order for chicken legs (not wings), and the look on their face when a plate of three drumsticks arrive. When they ask if the Key Lime Pie drink is good, and they taste it and exclaim how it tastes *exactly* like a key lime pie. When they have been there for a few, get up to use the bathroom and realize that there is a whole ass arcade attached.
Tocororo is a bistro, there isn’t a phone, and, there’s no reservations. The max capacity is 35ish (there’s a patio and the arcade), and, at most, there are only three employees on staff due to the limited space. Everything is house-made, and, made to order, even the soup!
“Will you put the game on?” Our friends and the sports bar next door will have it on for you. No, they don’t serve food, but here’s a menu if you would like takeout, tell Jett we say “Hi” and that we will have shift drinks with them after close. We don’t do Bloody Mary’s, but our neighbors are infamous for theirs. We don’t have beers on tap, however there are three breweries in Eastern Market that are %100 different from each other. “You don’t sell tacos?” Dave will tell you to find the “a” in Tocororo and he will make you whatever taco you want, however, there is a solid Mexican restaurant up the street. Where should you go after this? Go to the distillery! Melonie, Niko, Paul, and Brandon will be happy to meet you-and probably will also ask you to download Pokémon Go!. Eastern Market; Detroit’s Stars Hollow (think it will catch on?)
Until next post!
📍Detroit, MI.
Sara Bellum
