In 2018, Holly Keyser purchased a broken school bus in Iceland and transformed it into a cozy coffee shop with a library and indoor fireplace.
She said she bought the 38-foot-long bus for 100,000 ISK, or roughly $800 at the time, even though it had a broken engine and the interiors were caked in 20 inches of mud.
Keyser told Insider she intended to fit chairs, tables, a serving counter, and a wood-burning fireplace in the eight-foot-wide space, and sourced second-hand wood from junkyards and donations to build the counters.Installing the counters came next. At that point, she said she imported black and white linoleum flooring with brass trim, which cost her $470, and a wood-burning indoor fireplace for about $1,000, to help give the cafe a cozy feel. Keyser told Insider that chairs were sourced from a local restaurant.
She said she imported almost everything from abroad, since it was cheaper than buying in Iceland. The shop's biggest ticket item was the coffee machine, which Keyser said cost $4,500, plus another $1,000 from a 24% import tax.a tourist experience that recreates a volcanic eruption by super heating actual lava. She worked on renovations in her free time, and told Insider the time constraints of waiting for imports lengthened the renovation process to two years.
Aside from being closed during the winter months, Skool Beans is open six days a week, and Keyser works at the coffee shop every day. "The president had quite the entourage with him — security, photographers, and assistants — but he was the most laidback of them all," Keyser told Insider about the dayIn the three years since opening, Keyser built a menu of drinks with unique flavors, and has continued to improve the space.Keyser said she imports, locally sources, and travels to choose her products.
Near the counter, there's also a mini library with a "take one or leave one" policy. Keyser told Insider she started the practice because "it was a way to have some interaction with the community, and give back a bit." When Presidentand First Lady Reid came to visit, they brought a handful of books from their private collection to donate.
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