In Sweden, there is a term for stepping out of the mundane sameness that often accompanies the rituals of the day: fika. Both a noun and a verb, fika gives new meaning to what might be referred to in America as a “coffee break.” But fika is more than just a coffee break; it’s stepping away from the ordinary to perhaps experience extraordinary moments.
This term — fika — might very well epitomize the atmospheric ambience and aura owner, Debra Carroll, seeks for her company, Busy Nothings Coffee Company, founded September 2023 and located in Port Warwick of Newport News.
Fueled by her passion for all things Jane Austen, Carroll’s vision for Busy Nothings Coffee Company is to “build a community around coffee that celebrates the past while reaching toward the future,” says Carroll. This translates to taking advantage of all the “tried and true” coffee brewing techniques, while also “including modern aspects.” “I don’t want Busy Nothings to be stuffy and sterile but, rather, unique and fun, like walking into someone’s parlor, so to speak,” says Carroll.
Through her parallel passions for Jane Austen, British and American history, and all things coffee, Carroll strives to create a “place where people can congregate, feel comfortable and hang out without any preconceived expectations” — a place where patrons might experience something akin to the Swedish fika.
Having only been open for a little less than a year, Carroll envisions the kind of growth that can benefit local businesses. Whenever possible, she chooses to collaborate with small local companies and would like to, in turn, offer a space for hosting business meetings, putting together bridal and/or baby showers and catering for various events, all the while leaving a large footprint on the surrounding community. “I have barely scratched the surface on all the services I want to offer within the community,” says Carroll.
For Carroll, the greatest satisfaction in owning Busy Nothings comes in the form of serving the community. “I find my work most rewarding when I can create something I love, serve it to people in a warm atmosphere and hear them appreciate it. When I look at the café and see tables of people planning careers, couples on a first date, real estate agents mapping out their day and I realize this is all happening in my space, I’m thankful to be a part of that,” says Carroll.
Affectionately known by her alter ego, Lady Carroll, a throwback to the Jane Austen balls she used to host, Busy Nothings Coffee Company perhaps serves as an extension of that persona. With the goal of eventually incorporating Jane Austen-themed activities and introducing a new generation of people to Jane Austen’s work, but in a modern way, Busy Nothings may very well serve as a gateway into an entirely different take on the traditional coffee break.
Carroll’s passion and profession clearly intersect as she visits coffee shops for fun, enjoys thrifting and antiquing — finding treasures from the past and spending a lot of time in British royal history, historical novels and movie adaptations, all the while looking forward to creating great coffee adventures for those who may just find themselves stepping away from their busy nothings to get their fika on.
TO THE POINT:
Busy Nothings Coffee Company
Address: 2170 William Styron Square, South, Newport News, VA 23606
Website: www.busynothingscoffee.com
Contact: Debra Carroll, owner
Phone: 757-332-5941
Email: busynothingsllc@gmail.com
