Motor City Match supports opening of new Detroit café blending coffee culture with live music scene
- DEGC
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
Moondog Café, a music-inspired café and intimate performance space, opens in Detroit’s Wildemere Park neighborhood
Moondog Café is the 195th Motor City Match-supported business to open
The business received a $25,000 grant in Motor City Match’s Round 24
Motor City Match has awarded $21 million in cash grants; 85% of overall winners are minority-owned, 73% are women-owned, and 69% are operated by Detroit residents
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 (DETROIT) – The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and City of Detroit cut the ribbon Tuesday on Moondog Café, a 1,250-square-foot venue that blends coffeehouse culture with intimate concerts. The business, marking the 195th Motor City Match business to open, takes over a space that sat empty for years, transforming into what founders Joe Darling, Rob Nash and Jared Talaga envision as the neighborhood’s new gathering place.
The establishment was inspired by the eccentric avant-garde composer Moondog and Detroit’s rich heritage as a musical epicenter. The café serves as a neighborhood coffee spot by day and a music venue by night, where local artists play and occasionally experiment with music, and audiences can discover their next favorite act.
A $25,000 Motor City Match grant supported Moondog’s development. The grant funded the construction of the space and purchase of new equipment, creating an environment that feels authentically Detroit.
“We’re passionate about creating a space that amplifies Detroit-based artists and brings people together through music,” said Joe Darling, co-founder of Moondog Café. “Music in intimate settings creates opportunities for shared experiences of real depth and meaning. With Motor City Match’s support and the community’s backing through our Indiegogo campaign, we were able to finish our build-out and open a space that truly belongs to the neighborhood.”
The café is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and serves roasted coffee, teas, specialty sodas and pastries from Detroit bakeries. The small record and tape collection gives customers something to browse while they wait for their order. The venue hosts live music multiple nights per week, with upcoming performances by Detroit jazz legend Wendell Harrison on October 10th and 24th.
“This is one unique concept. Joe, Rob and Jared have created a place that honors Detroit’s musical heritage while giving local artists a platform,” said Deputy Mayor Melia Howard. “This is an authentic, neighborhood-focused development that adds life to our city.”
The café’s commitment to Detroit runs deeper than just its location. Sepia Coffee Roasters supplies the beans, while pastries arrive fresh from Walter Pat’s Bakery Cafe and Mother Loaf Breads. Even the music programming draws from Detroit-based establishments like Blue Moon Radio, Afro Moone and the Detroit Sound Conservancy. The venue currently employs two Detroiters and plans to add more staff this fall as business grows.
“What I appreciate about Moondog is that Joe, Rob and Jared aren’t just talking about supporting local businesses, they’re actually doing it,” said Sean Gray, vice president of Small Business Services at DEGC, which manages the Motor City Match program. “The team has built a space that showcases Detroit talent, supports local suppliers and continues the tradition of Detroit as an epicenter of musical innovation.”
Through 29 rounds of Motor City Match:
Total cash grants: $21 million (Total leveraged investment: $110 million)
85% of awardees are minority-owned
73% are women-owned
69% are owned by Detroit residents
Applications are now open for Round 30 of Motor City Match through September 30, 2025.
About Motor City Match
Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com
