Little Light Coffee Co. expands with Montana store, Warner Robins drive-thru

When Jaimi and Kevin Norrell bought a popular community coffee shop in Warner Robins just over a year ago, they said they planned to build on what’s proven to be a strong foundation.

That’s exactly what they’ve done since taking over Little Light Coffee Co. at 4027 Watson Blvd., Suite 220, in mid-March 2025.

Little Light Coffee Co. got its start as a mobile espresso bar in March 2021, with the previous owner, Sophia Smith, opening the storefront in March 2022.

In mid-April 2025, the Norrells next bought Mini Dixie Doughnuts, a small drive-thru doughnut shop in Warner Robins, pairing the two classics of coffee and doughnuts.

A few months later, they acquired the space next to Little Light Coffee Co., renovated it and added a 3,500-square-foot, connecting community space that officially opened Aug. 1, 2025.

In January, the Norrells, who now live in Montana, opened Little Light Coffee Co. and Mini Donuts in Grand Falls, Montana.

A week ago Friday, the husband-and-wife team opened their third Little Light Coffee Co., which is also their second location in Warner Robins.

Their Georgia coffee shops are under the care of Anita Jantz, their marketing director, and Kiana Flynn, who manages them.

Jantz attributed the success of Little Light Coffee Co. to “the hearts of the owners.”

“They have a heart, No. 1, I believe, to reach community, and probably, secondly, to be just what the title says, to be a light and to bring it to as many places as they can,” Jantz said. “Jaimi and Kevin are definitely Christian people, and I believe that’s what it’s all based on is that they want to be able to spread God’s light.

“They want to be able to spread the light of, you know, kindness and goodness … to just make places that people can come to, and it can make them feel good. It can make them happy. It can bring light to maybe something that they’re going through, and that’s really what it’s based on. It’s to bring community together and to do all those things.”

What to expect at Little Light Coffee Co. off Ga. 247

The new drive-thru Little Light Coffee Co. is in the former Caffe Vignette, which the Norrells bought at 107 Assembly Lane near the intersection of Ga. 247 and Sandy Run Road.

The new Little Light Coffee Co. drive-thru coffee shop combines the best of Little Light Coffee Co., Mini Dixie Donuts and Caffe Vignette: specialty coffees, mini vanilla doughnuts that are hand topped, and made-to-order beignets sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The small shop with its French Quarter design offers two drive-thru windows, each with their own dedicated drive-up lane.

Although geared for drive-thru, there are a few parking spaces and a patio table with chairs where customers may sit near the coffee shop’s outdoor fountain.

With the closure of the nearby Hardee’s, the new Little Light Coffee Co. is the only place to get coffee to go on that stretch of Ga. 247 headed toward Robins Air Force Base.

“So there’s literally nowhere, you know, on that corridor for all those people who work at the air base, so that was a huge strategic plus and plan,” Jantz said.

Familiar faces also have been showing up in the drive-thru in the first week of opening.

“We’ve had a lot of customers also say that they’re glad we’re finally open,” Flynn said. “I think a lot of people have been anticipating, you know, from the buzz on social media and everything like that.

“So I had quite a few customers say, ‘I’m glad you guys are finally here and open … We’re glad to have you on this side of town.’ So that’s been nice to hear.”

The new spot was jammed at its grand opening April 10, with employees texting Flynn that they were there and on time but trapped in the drive-thru traffic. One snapped a photo showing the line of vehicles ahead and texted it to Flynn, she said.

What’s on the menu at the Little Light Coffee Co. drive-thru?

At the drive-thru, customers can expect the same Little Light Coffee Co. staple coffee choices, non-coffee drinks, specialty coffees and monthly drink menu.

The monthly drink menu is created by the Little Light Coffee team of baristas, which are now rotating back and forth from the sit-down coffee shop and the drive-thru.

“A big part of my decision to join Little Light initially was the community factor and the creativity factor,” said Flynn, who came aboard about a year ago. “We create our monthly menu.

“It comes straight from the baristas. We do the flavors, the type of drink it is, the toppings … so that’s really fun … It allows us to all kind of bond as well, honing our creativity.”

The drive-thru menu also includes bagels, a breakfast burrito with salsa, a croissant with butter, and a pretzel dog with sausage and cheddar cheese.

The drive-thru doesn’t offer all the pastries found at the main location, or the coffee flights. But it does offer a few pastries, cookies and those popular mini doughnuts.

“They’re going like crazy,” said Tammy Simmons, who makes the mini doughnuts.

Little Light Coffee Co. recently closed what was the Mini Dixie Donuts location on Russell Parkway to the public with the addition of the Little Light Coffee Co. drive-thru off Ga. 247.

But the former Mini Dixie Doughnuts is where Simmons still makes the doughnuts, which are then delivered to the sit-down and drive-thru Little Light Coffee Co. locations.

Simmons fries up the doughnuts, then dips them in icing or glaze by hand and adds toppings ranging from colorful sprinkles on top of a strawberry icing coating to marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs atop a chocolate icing coating to create a s’mores doughnut.

Monday, the beignets were added to the drive-thru menu only. They’re made to order on site. Customers can expect a wait for food made to order.

Little Light Coffee Co. also has added dirty sodas to its menu at both Warner Robins locations, featuring drinks like the “twisted pepper” made with Dr. Pepper, lime, coconut, and half and half.

Hours for the drive-thru are 5 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Starting Monday, new hours for the sit-down coffee shop will be 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, 6:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The coffee shop is closed on Mondays. The number is 478-333-1489.