I would be remiss to not take the time to document some of my milestones during this weird last year. Despite not operating a single part of my food service business (dine-in operations, private tea party bookings, etc.) I somehow ended the year up 32.8% over 2019 - on just tea sales and tea stand shenanigans alone! What an incredible accomplishment - one that validates that my blends and my brand are viable all on their own. 

I also have a whole new batch of regulars who discovered me from being on the curb - these folks have never even set foot inside the shop yet! I cannot wait for the reopening when these folks will get to experience the whole dream. Currently. the shop sits in this eerie stand-still just waiting for me to be ready & comfortable to open again.

My online business has boomed in this last year, too. When I first opened the shop, I had just left a career in digital marketing & advertising. My burnout from that decade-long dedication to being attached to my phone and email was at its peak and I setup the e-commerce site with just a handful of blends but honestly I had no intention of expanding that part of my business. 

When everything shut down last March, I was grateful I had it built out so that all I had to do was get my inventory online - and boy, it has paid off. It has broadened my reach to customers across the US and some new folks, too. One of the most incredible parts of the online business is the encouragement and support from friends all over the US who haven't been able to support me before this year. College friends, high school friends, and even childhood friends. 

There's been so much good despite all of the hurdles the year has brought to us. That's not to say that it has been easy. Even still, people walk up and think my cute little tea stand is a "Going Out of Business" sale or the person who just moved to the neighborhood on their walk who stops to say they didn't realize things were so "desperate" here. On the show, Ted Lasso, he gives a very profound commentary on being underestimated that has resonated with me these last few months.

I suppose the tea stand is all in how you look at it, some see it as a desperate attempt to survive. Others see it as a source of hope and endurance. For me, I see it as an incredible opportunity that saved my business and it saved me, too.

​Stacey Bowers - Bang-up Betty &
​​Erin Pierce - Organized Chaos Collection

In the midst of the hard stuff, I somehow ended up making incredibly deep friendships with women who inspire me every single day. These were women who were always in my peripheral - we'd done events together, we were always friendly. But in the face of this crazy year, our group texts and shares became almost a daily thing for me to look forward to. 

​Sharing the weird stuff, the hard stuff, the FUNNY stuff - and just trying our best to encourage each other to keep going. 

At 34, finding new friends is hard. And I don't know that I really think these are new friends - just some that have deepened because of all of this. So, Stacey & Erin, thank you for getting me through this past year.  If you don't know these women, check them out & support them. 

My Anniversary Tea Stand is on February 10th, these ladies will be joining me for a pop-up. Check that event out on Facebook.

So, what's next? Well, Grami got her first round of vaccinations last week. Mom & Jessi will be getting their first round this week. I will be in the next group once they open it up. I hope to have the shop open again by May, though it might not be 100% normal when I re-open. Really just depends on what the world looks like in May, every week looks different these days.

For now, I will keep setting up my tables and breaking them down each day the weather allows for it. We are moving into a rainy season so I will be leaning on my online tea sales to carry me through until Spring. I hope you all will stick with me as you have done so far.

I am forever grateful to all of you.

Well, here we are and I've been doing the tea stand for 3 months now! Can you believe that?! My tan is already in full force - though there are major "farmer's tan" style lines present! Ha! 

I wish I was writing to tell you that I'd be opening the shop back up, but based on the rising new cases of Covid-19 and how they continue to tick up each day, I just don't feel safe letting people inside yet.

It's a bummer, I know, but I can assure you no one is more impacted than me by this decision. I shared with you all last month that I am taking this super seriously - my Grami, my mom, and my little sister are all considered high-risk due to their various things - diabetes, COPD, age, etc. 

The tea stand has been working, and while it is getting warmer out there, I believe I can sustain the shop a little while longer outside. I am also giving some thought to doing a few farmer's markets across the state for those of you who have been ordering online from afar -- more on that in coming weeks!

I want to be clear - AS SOON AS I FEEL SAFE I will open these doors wide and welcome you all back here! I miss having the tables full. I miss tea parties in the back room. I miss having in person tea talks in the evenings. I miss working with my mom and sister every week. They miss it, too. 

I am not going anywhere! I am not closing or giving up! We are going to make it through this crazy time. But, I do ask that you continue to support my shop.

​Please continue shopping online and allowing me to bring your orders out to you curbside, or shipping it to you wherever you live!

Since everything has started opening up, I have had a pretty significant downward trend in online sales. Fortunately, the tea stand is still thriving and that helps, but those online sales help so much, too! 

All that said, I have been so incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support, love and encouragement the past couple months. It really keeps me going & I am so thankful for all of you. 

My goal is to reassess on June 1st whether it is safe to open the doors to the shop. I may try out patio only dining toward the end of the month, but again, it depends. My hope would be that I could do a nice grand re-opening on June 10th - National Iced Tea Day!

I am not ready to bring my mom back to work when things are so risky. I am not in a situation to hire additional staff to help me offer a full service experience at this time, and, frankly, it's just too soon to tell if we have really passed through this scary phase of the pandemic. 

I am hoping you, my loyal customers & friends, will understand. I am hoping you will continue to support me through online orders and you will continue to stop by the tea stand on Wednesdays and the weekends. I truly cannot wait for the day when you can sit in my lovely tea shop and share in my dreams again. Until then, I will see you curbside, in the sunshine! ​​

Meet Mary Grace, a delightful young woman who is making Girl Scout cookies more accessible to those with food allergies and/or strict diets! For Girl Scout Entrepreneur Week, Mary Grace reached out to me to work on some tea blends inspired by some of our favorite Girl Scout cookies - but her mission was to make these blends for those who may not get to partake in the cookie mania each year.

We came up with two blends - Skinny Mint Cookie (inspired by the Thin Mint) and Caramel Coconut Cookie (inspired by the Samoa). Both of these teas are non-caffeinated and do not have added sugars which makes them diabetic friendly and can be sipped anytime during the day or night!

Mary Grace recommends taking these teas with a splash of honey - but you can substitute that for whatever sweetener you prefer! In addition to the blends being on sale at the tea shop, we will also be taking "Cookie Box Donations" for families at the UAMS NICU- the idea is to drop a dollar or two to go toward a box of cookies that can be shared with those who utilize the Family Pantry at UAMS. 

The Girl Scouts (Mary Grace's Troop - #6007) will be out front of the tea shop on Saturday, February 22nd from 10am-1pm with the Cookie Bus to sell cookies and a cup of these yummy teas!

Both of the Girl Scout Inspired Blends will be on shelves from now through March 14th - so be sure to grab a bag of tea before the cookie season ends! ​

Details for Saturday's Girl Scout event can be found on Facebook.