NORFOLK, Va. — Matt Rose and Jason Walker say roasting coffee started as a hobby.
"We've been roasting for about four years. We go back to roasting in my garage. It was just a random hobby that we picked up," Rose said.
"We've been serial hobbyists, and this is the one that stuck."
They say it was a skill they were determined to master while in their garage.
"Before that, it was brewing beer, and then we both had our children and decided we needed less beer in our life and a lot more coffee," Walker said with a laugh.
They started with a small coffee roaster, but then things began to grow.
"Then we got a larger coffee roaster and got better at it. We had more coffee than we knew what to do with, so we started selling it," Rose said.
"Really where the rubber hit the road from a business perspective is when we got into the farmer's markets."
They started going to farmer's markets like the Old Beach Farmer's Market in Virginia Beach.
They called themselves Neptune's Fury Coffee Company, and they quickly started making a name for themselves.
"A cafe wasn't exactly in our sights years ago," Rose said as he looked around the room.
"But here we are."
Neptune's Fury Cafe and Roastery is now open in Dominion Tower in Norfolk.
"It's a gorgeous location. When we stepped foot in the place, we were floored with the opportunity to bring our business here," Rose said with a smile.
The building has floor-to-ceiling windows that give you a perfect view of the Elizabeth River while you enjoy your coffee. It is stunning.
Walker looked around the room and said, "The views are definitely spectacular. We love watching the tugs go by. We get the occasional pod of dolphins that go by. It's kind of surreal to be able to work here, especially coming from a farmer's market tent."
The view is grand, and the building is gorgeous, but these two friends still keep their roots in mind as they move forward.
They are reminding themselves that they started by roasting beans in their garage. They now have a large roastery in their building behind glass for all to see.
"We intentionally glassed that in so that way the roastery and that process when we are roasting is visible," they said as they both looked at the machine with pride.
When it comes to coffee, they've got everything you could want in the form of a good cup.
Lovers of cold, hot, flavored, or specialty, you name it. They can help you find the best brew for you.
"We have a full spectrum of dark to light roast, and we like to consider our brand, or our offering, as an on-ramp to specialty coffee," Rose said.
When you grab a cup of coffee, remember to grab a snack too! They offer a variety of pastries and snacks you can enjoy with your cup of joe.
"The bagel nuts have been really popular. We get those from a local company in Portsmouth," Walker said.
They are bagel dough balls filled with cream cheese or eggs and sausage. And soon, there will be more food options on the table.
"Going forward, we are going to have a full food program. It's in the works right now," Walker said.
"We expect to have a full line-up of pizza-style flatbreads, as well as looking at doing salads and other options," Rose said.
Expect that food to be added later in 2023, but don't wait for the food. Give them a try today.
"Come on in, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy some great wifi and great sights, and hopefully, that'll help us become a destination and also share our space with others," Rose said.
If you would like to go get a coffee and check out the view at Neptune's Fury Cafe and Roastery, you can visit 999 Waterside Dr, Norfolk.
They validate up to two hours of parking in the garage with the whale mural by Dominion Tower in Norfolk.