Moon Dog: earth-friendly goodness finds home in Empire.

By Ashlea Turner
Sun staff writer
Local artwork. Organic pet food and catnip. Free-trade and organic coffee. Fresh, hormone-free milk in returnable glass bottles. Scrumptious pastries. Great service. It’s usually difficult to discover these attributes together under the same roof. Luckily for the village of Empire, Moon Dog provides all of these and more to a year-round clientele.

Although owners Carmen and Dayton Howard just opened Moon Dog this summer, they already feel so well received by the community of Empire that it feels almost like home to them. Carmen, the powerhouse and visionary behind Moon Dog, feels that Empire is “very appreciative” of their new coffee bar. In fact, there is a bounty of which to be appreciative at Moon Dog. Not only can someone in Empire now have an espresso drink made with fresh milk from Shetler’s Dairy, but one can purchase good-for-you soap and sunscreen for a day at the beach. And don’t forget to pick up an energy bar or a splendid brownie to take on a hike to Empire Bluffs.
So how did Empire get so lucky to have the goodness of Moon Dog in its village? The Howards moved to the Lake Ann area (east of Empire) from the Detroit area about three years ago. For many, like Carmen and Dayton, making the move “up north” can bring some unexpected hardships. They had begun to miss the ambience of a good coffee bar and instead of just dreaming of the places Ann Arbor offers and Empire doesn’t, they created it. Moon Dog is a great new neighborhood coffee shop and café that serves local baked goods from Kejara’s Bridge and pastries from Stone House Bread. They also serve and sell coffee roasted by the Great Northern Roasting Company of Traverse City and Higher Grounds, both organic.
The Howards take much pride in both using and selling Shetler’s milk products. Shetler’s Dairy is a family-run business in Kalkaska that believes in healthy soil, animals and people. It doesn’t use any manmade chemicals, antibiotics or hormones (rBST). Shetler’s also avoids homogenizing its milk, with the understanding that “when cream is left in its natural state it is more easily digestible.”
Speaking of healthy animals, for those who have pets at home, you can buy organic and all-natural dog and cat food at Moon Dog. Carmen believes that a large part of Moon Dog’s service to customers is education and awareness. She believes that what companies are able to put into commercial pet food is horrendous and if most pet-owners learned of this injustice, they would surely switch to such brands as Solid Gold, Canidae or Felidae (all natural pet foods). Moon Dog also offers organic catnip sacks along with natural supplements.
In addition to supplying the body and pet with nutrients, Moon Dog enjoys enriching the mind and heart with expressions of the local artistic community. Moon Dog supports the local creative community by exhibiting paintings, jewelry, mixed media work and note cards, among other creations by a wealth of local artists and craftspeople.
Coming soon: natural frozen treats made from soy and tofu, a tasty and healthy alternative to traditional ice cream. As if you needed one more reason to stop by and check out Moon Dog.
Moon Dog plans to stay open year-round (I can hear the cheers from the locals already). Carmen and Dayton are currently open from 7-5, Monday – Saturday, and 8-3 on Sunday. Technically Moon Dog is located at 11590 La Core Street, but the coffee bar is basically right on M-22 across from the Village Inn in Empire.