The Reali-TEA: November 2020 Update

Has it really been 5 months since I wrote an update for you all? I am so sorry! What a weird year - it has been the longest and fastest year all at the same time. I want to get right to the punch because a competitor has put out a little whisper campaign that folks have brought to my attention...

I AM NOT GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! Seriously, I am OKAY! Yes, I am still sitting curbside - this marks 8 months of the tea stand - but I am keeping the lights on, the rent paid, and we are finally into TEA SEASON! Hooray for that!

Sorry to have to address something so silly, but the tea is strong over here and I am not letting it get me down. 💅 

I am coming up on my 3rd business birthday - and things could have gone A LOT worse for the shop especially since we are so young and just getting our legs underneath of us.

Mom and Jessica are doing well. This year has been pretty hard for my Jessi girl. She loves her routines and loves having a plan, and 2020 just does not allow for that. She was going to get married to Donald in October but we have postponed their special day until next year as they are both high risk and so are many of their friends and family. 

How am I doing? So many of you have asked and continue to ask, and I often do not know how to respond. My bubbly, perky self wants to say "I am great - just gotta keep going! Keep swimming! Keep trying!" but the reali-TEA is that I am really not doing so great in terms of how this year has impacted me personally. I am tired. I often bounce between discouraged and hopeful. But, the cases keep rising. I see more and more people out and about in large groups without masks on. It is almost like some folks have decided this isn't real, and that the impacts of this virus are just a charade. 

As far as the shop goes, sales are steady. We were really doing good March through July - and then the heat set in, then back to school, and then the election. September and October months were slower than desired, but this last week of October was really strong which lets me know that tea season is here and y'all are ready for it!

Summer was HOT but I endured it - I actually sweated off about 18 lbs this summer which is great. And Fall has proven to be great weather so far! I am currently selling hot teas and a cold tea each day at the tea stand.

The Tea Jugs that everyone has come to love will continue until they just aren't selling anymore. I will continue to have about 4-6 jug flavors each week. We also launched our new FALL BLENDS! If you missed them, here's the list with links to the Online Store:

- Bourbon Berry (black tea)
- Cocoa Berry Chai (black tea)
- Autumn Rose (white tea)
- Chaga Chai (herbal)
- Chamomile Cardamom Chai (herbal)
- Cherry Chicory (herbal)
- Just Dandy (herbal)
- The Sassy Sage (herbal)

Many of you have already been asking about Holiday Spirit and Twinkle Tea - these will be released Black Friday & Small Business Saturday like they are every year. I know so many of you are looking forward to stocking up on those! I just got the BEST cinnamon bark in this week to start blending it up!
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I plan to be out curbside through November. I am not sure what we will do in December - that is so dependent on the weather and also how many active cases the state has then. Right now, we have more cases in the state and in the country than we did when we were in lock-down back in March & April. So, I am digging my heels in and staying on the curb as long as humanly possible. 

Please continue to support my business - I know it's tempting to buy that tea at the grocery store or whatever big box retailer you find yourself in this holiday season, but I can tell you that I am TRULY grateful for every single sale - always of course - but this year especially. 

Be safe, wear a mask, be kind & give as much grace as you can to all of us retail & restaurant folks.
I promise you, we are all doing our very best despite so many factors that are out of our control.