Greener Groundz Coffee and Café is a local coffee shop that successfully combines the passions of its co-owners Benita Bartley and Molly Kerby. They named their coffee drinks after their dogs and friends' dogs to showcase their love for canines. Additionally, they only use fair trade coffee beans to support social justice causes. The shop promotes local artists, musicians, dairy producers and more to stimulate the local economy. A student enjoys studying and socializing at the comfortable and affordable shop that supports important causes through its business.

1. doggone
by Sarah Ellis
“A lotta bark and no bite” is what you get when you drink
Buddy’s Bark coffee, a fair-trade Peruvian coffee bean
“I think it’s great to be able
to come to a place like this
good
blend named after a very special Jack Russell Terrier.
But there’s more to this cup of coffee than a clever name. and support everything they
A quirky combination of dogs and social isn’t what you’d support and at the same time
expect out of a local coffee shop, but Greener Groundz
Coffee and Café successfully combines the passions
get a great cup of cheap coffee
of its owners while creating a comfortable around-the- or something tasty for lunch.”
corner place you’ll like to call home.
Co-owners Benita Bartley and Molly hunger, and injustice. Oxfam America
Kerby used the opportunity of starting is one of the many non-profit social
Greener Groundz to send a message justice organizations that Molly and
about what’s important to them. Their Benita support, and this coffee shop
love for dogs is undeniably obvious is an easy way for them to spread the
with all the coffees named after their news about organizations like Oxfam
own dogs and some of their friends’ and others.
dogs. You can drink a Costa Rican
roast called Clyde’s Daily Brew, “As much as we can promote local
named after one of their many Jack we promote local,” Bartley says. And
Russell Terriers, or sip some teas she’s not exaggerating. Everything
named after tail-wagging Tessa, a from local dairy, to local art and music
mutt that belongs to some family is used and advertised at Greener
friends. You can even drink your roast Groundz Coffee and Cafe. It’s their
at one of the many tables decorated way of driving home the need for
by Benita and Molly’s friends, like the supporting local business owners
one made by Dogs Day Out covered and promoting their own economic
cof ee
f
in pictures of pooches and the lyrics stimulus plan.
to “Hound Dog.”
While dogs are their true love, an Western student Jessica Curtis
enthusiasm for social justice drives enjoys Greener Groundz for an early
the pair to use only fair trade coffee morning study session or catching
beans. Fair trade means fair labor up with friends over some lunch.
conditions for workers; they are Not only does she enjoy the homey
paid a fair wage and given health atmosphere, but the coffee is also
benefits. It also means investing in some of the best she’s ever had. “I
farm communities and building up the think it’s great to be able to come to a
local economy, whether it improves place like this and support everything
new schooling, or the development they support and at the same time
of health care, fair trade helps other get a great cup of cheap coffee or
countries bolster their communities. something tasty for lunch. It’s close
Benita and Molly trade mostly with to my house and it’s never too loud,
South America and promote this area I can come sit in a little nook and just
to help create solutions for poverty, enjoy my time here,” she says.