Team of veterans join forces to open coffee shop in Norfolk, Virginia

FR8 House Coffee opened on December 13, 2024, and pays tribute to the local community.
Kait Hanson Avatar
Photo courtesy of Fr8 House

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For as long as she can remember, Chealsea Fox has known she wanted to open a coffee shop. The former teacher and Army National Guard soldier got her wish on December 13, 2024, when – alongside her husband, Tom, and four other co-owners, Jack and Hannah Wagner and Jerry and Julie Hashagen – FR8 House Coffee opened in Norfolk, Virginia. 

“It was always my dream to open up a coffee shop,” Fox, 33, told We Are The Mighty, adding that she taught with Hannah and convinced her fellow teacher to join in on her vision. “We were finally able to do it because her husband is currently going to school for business using his GI Bill right now. He’s just freshly out of the Navy, so we took it on full speed.”

In fact, of the six business partners, four have a military affiliation, and the group represents three different branches, so it makes sense that they’d choose the largest Naval base in the world to open up shop: Norfolk.

The team: L-R: Julie and Jerry Hashagen, Jack and Hannah Wagner, Chealsea and Tom Fox. Photo courtesy Fr8 House.

“It had to have three things,” Fox said of the requirements she and her husband, FR8’s majority owners, had for the shop. “It’s got to have a good vibe, great customer service and a great product. It was important for us to make sure that we had those three elements.”

The result? Curated coffee and food, as well as locally sourced pastries, in a welcoming space that features space for connection and conversation. By the end of January 2025, FR8 House will also be offering cocktails, including an espresso martini that uses vodka infused with FR8 house coffee grinds that Fox calls “so amazing.”

Fox said that in addition to bistro-style seating for those trying to work or host team meetings, it was important to create “cozy” spaces, too.

“Another big thing we wanted was a big round table that sat, like, nine people, and it has been hands-down the best of the entire place,” Fox said. “That table is always filled. We have a few military mom groups that meet here. The groups are tailored to moms who are new to the area and have young kids. They rotate spots and come here because we’re kid-friendly. It’s really cool!”

But what is the connection between veterans and a seemingly train-themed coffee shop? The location, of course.

“We are located right at the corner of where all the trains switch over,” Fox explained of FR8’s Bowdens Ferry Road location which backs up to Norfolk Southern, a freight railroad that has been in operation since 1827. “So we knew we wanted to do something (for the name) with railroads to tie that in somehow, and we were playing around with names.”

Eventually, they landed on FR8 House Coffee, an homage not just to their location but to the Nashville roaster – 8th and Roast – where they source their coffee, who use a giant “8” in their logo.

“It worked out because when trains change over, they make an eight in order to move back around,” Fox said, adding she was unaware of the train maneuver when they picked the name. “One of the Norfolk Southern guys came in, and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so cool. Did you (choose the name) because of that?’ And I said, ‘No, I didn’t, but I’m going to start saying I did!”

Photo courtesy Fr8 House.

Fox said that outside the shop’s serendipitous name, every menu item name is intentional, featuring classic train names, as well as paying tribute to the town and city, such as Locomotive – avocado toast with red pepper flakes, cherry tomatoes, feta, red onion and cucumber – as well as the most popular menu item, the John Henry, a breakfast burrito featuring eggs, cheese, sausage, potatoes, bacon and a homemade sauce, aptly named FR8 House sauce.

“Everyone loves it. We can never keep it in stock,” Fox said.

Photo courtesy Fr8 House.

Not only is Norfolk’s newest coffee space veteran-owned and operated, the team tries to employ veterans when possible, such as contractors who helped build and design the space, as well as servicemembers making their transition to civilian life.

“We know the transition of getting out of the military isn’t always easy,” Fox said, adding that transitioning veterans are always welcome to join the FR8 team while they navigate what comes next. “Between the six of us, we’ve got so much knowledge. We’ve been there, we’ve done that. We would love to be able to help (veterans) if they need a spot to work until they can really figure out what they’re doing, FR8 House is definitely a place for them.”