NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — After 20 years of covering the nation’s biggest headlines, Danya Bacchus Whipple, formerly of CBS and ABC News, is preparing to bring a little bit of New Orleans y’all to Norfolk.
“It will be made-to-order beignets, which are French donuts. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, then you know all about them,” said the Hampton native.
Beignets and Brew is under construction in the 500 block of W. 21st Street. 10 On Your Side got a sneak preview of the cafe, which is located near national and international businesses.
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Photo provided by Danya Bacchus Whipple
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Photo provided by Danya Bacchus Whipple
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Photo provided by Danya Bacchus Whipple
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Photo provided by Danya Bacchus Whipple
Regina Mobley: So congratulations on your new business. As you know, timing is everything in show business, but also in coffee.
Danya Bacchus: Absolutely, also in coffee. What’s so interesting about this time is just the uncertainty of it all. Information is changing; it seems like on a daily basis
Last week, the Supreme Court pulled the plug on President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. The president then created another tariff that started at 10%, but quickly grew to 15%.
Norfolk Coffee and Tea, located just off Monticello Avenue, was around long before the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 backfired. Third-generation owner Chris Stephanitsis is standing bold while Bacchus Whipple is getting the scoop on what it takes to work with a commodity that’s beholden to nature and man-made forces.
“It’s compounding on an issue that the coffee industry was already facing just based off of weather events in places like Vietnam, in Brazil, which are the largest producers. And so, yeah, it is a little scary to know that we’re not really sure about what’s going to happen next or how long it’s going to be, but we’re still really excited to be doing this,” said Bacchus.
The news correspondent turned cafe owner hopes to have hot-made-to-order Beignets and a variety of hot and cold coffee drinks ready for customers to enjoy by late March. And yes, the coffee will have that special New Orleans aroma and taste.
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