A Small, Good Thing cafe offers comfort food and conversation

Marcia Moore, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Aug. 17—SELINSGROVE — Gwen Zeiders was a customer of the new Selinsgrove cafe, A Small, Good Thing, before she asked the owner for a job last month.

"I really liked the cookies," said the 2019 graduate of Selinsgrove Area High School and aspiring pastry chef. Zeiders is taking online classes at Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts.

Cafe owner Dan Moody said he was glad he gave Zeiders the opportunity to put her baking skills to the test creating goodies like mulled apple crumble and watermelon cookies at his 209 W. Pine St. cafe.

"Hopefully she's going to teach me some things," said Moody, who focuses more on the varied food menu, which changes often, and keeping a fresh pot of coffee brewing. One recent daily menu offered quesadillas, grilled cheese and sausage and pepper sandwiches.

Despite having no set hours — a sign in the cafe window refers to a quote from Gandalf, a character in J.R.R. Tolkien's books, "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," "A wizard is never late nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to" — customers are finding the eatery where they can enjoy a meal, a cookie, cup of coffee and music, which sometimes is played on a vintage record player.

"We see this as a community center," said Moody, who started the business a few months ago with his wife, Racheal Moody, a Juniata County native, after traveling throughout the U.S. and camping with their two pitbulls, Niall and Veda, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'd like it to become the place where high school students get their first job washing dishes or learn to bake," said Dan.

He's had many jobs, including working as a veterinary technician and personal trainer, and decided to use his restaurant experience in the new endeavor when the couple relocated to Selinsgrove several months ago.

An avid reader, Moody named the cafe after Raymond Carver's award-winning short story, "A Small, Good Thing." When a visitor mentions they've never heard of the story, he reaches toward a shelf filled with books behind the cafe's counter and doesn't find what he's looking for.

"I must have lent it to somebody," he said with a shrug.

Music blares from the sound system as Moody and Zeiders cook and bake in the kitchen before opening at 5 p.m. last Thursday.

They plan to settle on a more consistent schedule when Susquehanna University students return for the fall semester.

For now, the cafe is open every day except Tuesday and Wednesday. Hours are posted on A Small, Good Thing's Instagram and Facebook pages.