Margie Ryan couldn't decide what to do.

For 20 years, her Harvest Moon health food store had provided natural foods and herbs to an eclectic clientele in Floyd. In 2003, Ryan abandoned her cramped retail space and moved into a new two-story building on Virginia 8 just outside of town.

The 3,000-square-foot first floor was soon filled to overflowing with the products her customers have come to expect: natural foods, herbs, candles, greeting cards, utensils and other products not carried in the big box retail stores or even most local shops.

Ryan's problem was in deciding what to do with the empty second floor.

A graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta, she had always wanted to surround herself with art. But she said she also wanted to provide a friendly spot where customers and friends could enjoy a good cup of coffee and a gourmet pastry while they relaxed in the slower pace of her adopted hometown.

Then there was her desire to bring the community together with special events highlighting the talents of local artisans.

That's when her husband, Tom Ryan, came to the rescue. With just the right amount of good-natured prodding, he helped Margie Ryan narrow down the choices.

"I decided to settle for everything I ever wanted," she said.

On June 27, the second floor of the Harvest Moon building officially opened as the Over the Moon coffee shop and art gallery.

The majority of the floor and wall space upstairs is reserved for art displays. Currently sculpture, paintings, photographs, pottery, hand-blown glassware and original textiles from 16 local artisans fill the gallery.

The tall ceilings and large windows provide a feeling of roominess in the gallery space. The Ryans' intention is to exhibit only locally produced art, and they already have a waiting list of about 20 potential exhibitors.

Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains outside and beautiful art inside, longtime Floydians Sandy and Killene Dolan and John "Dr. Bob" Robertson, director of the Center for Comparative Oncology in the Virginia-Maryland Regional Vet School, recently enjoyed coffee together in Over the Moon.

"It's a great place to chat with friends and catch up on things," Robertson said. "It has become a place that brings together all the elements of the Floyd lifestyle: poets, farmers and artists all in one place."

Ryan became a Floyd resident nearly 30 years ago when she helped set up the old Floyd Mill co-op natural foods store. Eventually, she bought the business and reopened it as the Harvest Moon in a small storefront near the town's hardware store.

"You could maybe have four customers in the store at one time, it was so cramped," she says.

Margie and Tom Ryan were high school friends back in Louisiana. While Margie studied art and ran her health food store, Tom was earning a history degree from St. Andrews College in North Carolina and operating a series of businesses. They kept in touch over the years, and eventually married in 1999.

Since then, Tom has provided additional impetus to help expand the business. One result is the recent opening of Over the Moon.

Harvest Moon/Over the Moon is the typical Floyd establishment interestingly quirky and immediately comfortable. The new store has almost four times as much space, but is still filled with so many gourmet items and local produce that it is difficult to turn around in some spots. The owners and employees are friendly and helpful, although their Web page warns their philosophy is "the customer is always right except in those situations that conflict with Margie."

The coffee shop provides gourmet pastries baked in house by Natasha Shishkevish, who is also the chef at Oddfellas Cantina just up the street.

The gallery already seems popular. A half-dozen pieces of art sold within the first week. On the Friday after the opening, visitors from Roanoke, Blacksburg and North Carolina could be found in the gallery, perusing the offerings.

"During the week we have about 80 percent locals, but on Friday and Saturday we will have 50 to 60 percent visitors from the parkway and day-trippers who live within a couple of hours' drive of Floyd," Tom Ryan said. He thinks the nice building and the good traffic will help them establish a profitable gallery within a relatively short year or two.

On Sept. 10, the Harvest Moon will host "A Taste of Floyd" where locally grown or produced foods will serve as examples of the Slow Food concept. Additional events are also being scheduled.

On the Web: www.harvestmoonfoodstore.com