Fika's coffee brews on mainstreet

Fika's various rooms include a mini art gallery and a wall of drawings from patron children. Photo by Erika Siebring.

A quintessential aspect of being a struggling writer -- or any writer for that matter -- is having a coffee shop in which to sit with your laptop and drink a large supply of caffeine.

To Parker locals, Fika Coffee House is that place.

The term “fika” [fee-KAH] is a Swedish noun and verb, a custom loosely translated as “to meet over coffee” in English. This quaint Swedish-American establishment is not only named after this custom, it takes full advantage of it, acting as the heart of Old Town Parker.

Alive with character and personality, it’s difficult to sit inside without taking note of all the knick-knacks in every literal nook and cranny: a sign reading “Välkommen” [‘Welcome’ in Swedish]  hangs above the front counter, greeting everyone that comes in; two identical clocks hang on a wall, displaying the time in both Denver and Stockholm.

Comfort is also taken into account here. Several armchairs of ranging colors -- red, pale green, and royal blue -- sit along the walls, with small rounded tables in between them. Bottomless coffee in a mug is sold for less than three dollars, each ceramic cup coming in all different colors and shapes. This, in fact, draws similarities from another unique coffee place--Central Perk, anyone?

This café offers the sort place locals, visitors and struggling writers can flock to: a place to sit, a place to eat and drink, a place to chat; to know Parker at its core is to stop inside.