The most common questions answered.
Why is an English lady running a Skoolie cafe under a massive volcano in Iceland?
Hi all, I’m Holly. UK born 80’s child, cat lover, and world traveller.
I spend 6 1/2 years in Melbourne Australia before attempting to move back to the UK.
A quick trip to Iceland resulted in a year as a glacier guide, before the longing feeling of a little cosy cafe scene like they have in Melbourne became all too strong to resist any more.
Unsure how Iceland would respond to a primarily drinks cafe in a remote area of Iceland I decided to try my luck with a food truck.
I searched for many months for the right vehicle and I just happened to know the right person, in the right place, at the right time.
One of the old buses that was left over from the U.S air base that closed down in the early 2000’s was up for grabs! SOLD!
When did you open?
The renovation was a team effort. A couple of years slowly and steadily working on it on my days off so not to open with any debts and Skool Beans was finally launched.
My Dad flew over to help with the internal build and along with some amazing friends I finally opened the doors and took my very first sale on 01st August 2020, during that gigantic global pandemic that we try hard not to talk about any more!
Skool Beans is the first School Bus speciality cafe to open in Iceland.
We are also Icelands smallest micro-roaster, tea lab and chocolate mixologist.
How did that go?
Terrible! Hahahahaha! I could watch entire Netflix films between customers. So, financially terrible, but… I spent my days sitting next to the log burning stove that I have in the bus, Jeff the cat on my lap and getting really creative with finding ways to keep the business running. Launching creative drinks, learning to make jewellery, learning to make soaps and connecting with local artists, roasting beans, connecting with other small businesses in Iceland, and creating a solid foothold in Vik within the community. So in that respect it was AMAZING and I’m grateful that I had that precious time to learn so much.
By the time the pandemic allowed all borders to open I was prepared for anything and since then, it’s been better and better with each year.
How’s it going now?
Each year we have been open we have won the travellers choice award on Trip Advisor (thank you to all who leave lovely reviews, it means so much to our small business).
In 2023 the President of Iceland and the First Lady came to the bus. This allowed me to win a very important long standing bet with my partner, which was to get a photo of our cat with the President!
No joke… The story is on Instagram!
In 2024 Brad Pitt stopped by… BUT WE WERE TOO BUSY TO SERVE HIM!!! We did manage to get a beanie to him and he face-timed us for a chat!!! True story, you’ll also find that on our instagram!
We also won Iceland’s best speciality cafe 2024, as voted by the prestigious European Coffee Trip. This was a very emotional win for us and I’m forever grateful for having that moment when it was announced.
Our customers are our favourite part though. The amount of friends we have made and laughs we have had can’t be measured. It’s just a really happy place to be and made even more special by the incredible team who joined the Skool Beans family.
I truly couldn’t do it without them.
Where are you and WHY?
Skool Beans is located in Vik, along the southern coast of Iceland. We are tucked away, nestled against the mountains that are the old sea cliffs from way-back-when which are active with Fulmars chattering throughout the year.
We don’t want to be on the main road. We want our space to feel truly special and allow nature to be the shining star. Lupins surround us in summer, snow buries us in the winter (which is why we close December to March!). There is also a stunning 9 hole golf course right beside us!
One of the few Par 6 in Europe!
Vik is a great village and although small, it’s mighty with infrastructure. It’s the gateway to many nature based activities and a hiker’s dream in the summer. The community is well connected and the honest truth is, it was one of the few places that I was able to afford a little house by the sea where I could watch whales and puffins in the summer and see the Northern Lights in the winter! … and I could pronounce the name of the village unlike most others in Iceland!
Erm, what about that giant volcano you mentioned?
Ah yes, Katla Volcano. She is a BIIIIIGGY!
Overdue an eruption by over a 100 years, she continues to tease us with her snooze button! One of the most monitored and technologically advanced volcanoes in the world, it’s believed and trusted that we will have plenty of notice when she starts to wake up. It might be in my lifetime, it might not, but what I do know, is that living in Australia where almost every living creature wants to kill you with as little as a stern glare, I feel safer here…. even under a super volcano! hahahah!
Thank you for learning about my story.
And thank you for supporting my small independent business.