Are you a fan of coffee and sweets? Although a fairly new addition to the sanctuary, our local cafe has already captured the hearts of guests and dogs alike!
With our seasonal menu, and using only ingredients supplied locally by the residents of Diogenes, all of our pastries and coffee are made fresh in house with plenty of love~ Here, you'll also find Ilion merchandise—all proceeds of which goes directly to supporting the sanctuary and our team! With how often our sled dogs come here to relax, there might be a chance you meet one of your favorite team members here as well!
[Ilion merchandise will be available online at a later date.]
Lead Barista
With a keen eye for trendy fashion, and having a bubbly city girl attitude, Dorothy definitely stands out in the town of Diogenes and the Alaskan wilderness. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, she was initially an aspiring chef, dreaming of owning her own restaurant in the heart of the city. However, many life challenges changed her perspective and goals.
After she set off to Diogenes to visit her grandparents, she found herself revisiting the small town and came to the realization that this was the change that she needed. When word came of a cafe opening up at the Ilion Sanctuary, Dorothy decided to take the chance—now sharing warmth and smiles with all of the cafe's patrons!
She works hard alongside her assistants, Sparky and Eleky, and is proud of her old press maker—she brags smugly about how it was passed down from generations and how it gives coffee the richest taste!
Assistant Barista
Breed: Pumi dog
Sparky used to work at a small locally-owned cafe in Juneau, Alaska. She grew up there from an early age, so she has a very good sense of smell for coffee! Though she enjoyed her life in Juneau—spending her time making all types of delicious blends and dishes—she happened to hear about the opening of a cafe at the Ilion Sanctuary and felt the opportunity calling to her.
It was a big decision, but with the help of her old owner, she made the move to Diogenes to help Ilion start their cafe. Thankfully, it wasn't a wistful farewell, as Sparky still stays in touch with her old owner and home—she has helped the two businesses collaborate on many shared ideas and treats!
Assistant Barista
Species: Chinchilla
Minty, the previous musher of our sled dog Sammy, is a chinchilla enthusiast—one day she came to visit the sanctuary and brought along Eleky, a small gray chinchilla with a pair of interesting yellow ears. Sparky saw that some of the other dogs were playing around with the small rodent and approached them with interest. Playing with Eleky inspired Sparky to try and create cafe items for chinchillas.
Sparky was a very clumsy chef, however, and this got on Eleky's nerves. To rectify this, the chinchilla sat on Sparky's head and served as her guide to whip her into tip-top chef shape. When it was time for Minty to go back home, Sparky didn't want to let Eleky go; reluctantly saying goodbye.
Arriving back in Siberia, Eleky couldn't stop thinking about their time with Sparky and asked Minty for permission to live with everyone at Ilion. Permission was granted and the two were reunited—now they make impressive and tasty drinks together alongside Barista Dorothy!
posted by Staff Dani
posted by Staff Honami
posted by Ilion Musher
posted by Dorothy
