Iraq veteran launches Big Dog Coffee in Oregon City

DogCoffee.jpgView full sizeThe idea for Big Dog Coffee came to Matt Perry during a business class, shortly after he returned from Iraq. The shop opened on Monday on Molalla Avenue.

Matt Perry looks around his new coffee shop and shares what he thinks makes it special.

“This,” he said, motioning to his surroundings, “is Oregon City.”

Big Dog Coffee opened Monday at 107 Molalla Ave. and sells juices, smoothies, pastries and other snacks in addition to espresso drinks. The shop uses Portland Roasting Company coffee and buys nearly all of its other products locally, Perry said. All of the nine employees live in or minutes from Oregon City.

Perry said he got the idea for a coffee and smoothie shop when he returned from Iraq in 2010, after 12 years of service with the Oregon Army National Guard. He enrolled in a business class at Clackamas Community College that same year and created the plans for the shop as an assignment.

Later, he brought his plans to fruition by securing the 1,400-square-foot, two-story building in Oregon City. He named it Big Dog Coffee after his English Mastiff, Jagger.

The menu includes a variety of non-coffee drinks such as “Army Greens” juice, made with kale, spinach, celery, pineapple, ginger and agave, and smoothies with optional “boosters” like Vitamin C and flax. It also serves gluten-free food options.

The shop has a drive-thru and an upstairs seating area.

Hours are 5 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, call 503-387-5142.

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