Urban Tea Party Launching Tea Lounge in Sweet Auburn

ATLANTA, GA — Urban Tea Party is preparing to open at 75 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, bringing a tea lounge, retail shop, tasting room and cultural event concept to Studio House in the Sweet Auburn district.

Owner Sherolyn (Inde) Sellers told Business Debut the business will soft open June 1st, followed by a launch on June 10th.

What to Expect

Urban Tea Party will offer more than 100 tea SKUs through its tea lounge and retail shop, along with a rotating menu of featured teas for guests to enjoy on site. Sellers said the selection will include white, green, oolong, black and pu-erh teas, along with wellness blends, matcha, rooibos and honeybush teas.

The tea lounge will have seating for about 40 guests and will be open daily. A separate climate-controlled tasting room will seat 12 and be used for private tastings, pairings and smaller gatherings.

The larger Studio House space will also allow Urban Tea Party to host events with up to 200 guests, Sellers told Business Debut.

Menu and Vision

Urban Tea Party will serve tea flights, tea pairings and food presented in a style inspired by traditional tea towers. Sellers said the food program will include proteins, roasted vegetables, pastries and desserts, with chefs contributing halal, vegan and other menu options.

Many items will be paired with specific teas, similar to how a restaurant might recommend wine with a meal, Sellers told Business Debut.

Urban Tea Party will also feature Ché René Macarons during its tea parties. Sellers said owner Ché Houston creates macarons in flavors such as peach cobbler, lavender, lemon and goat cheese and fig.

The macarons will be used in tea pairings and featured as part of the tea party experience.

Sellers said the Urban Tea Party experience is meant to move beyond “fascinator hats, doilies and pinkies up.”

“A tea party is deeply rooted in community and culture,” Sellers told Business Debut.

Urban Tea Parties

Urban Tea Party will host ticketed tea party experiences with tea flights, food and entertainment. Sellers said events may include African drummers, violinists, harpists, poetry and other cultural programming.

Each tea party will be designed to highlight the culture of the city where it is hosted, with Atlanta serving as the starting point, Sellers told Business Debut.

The team will begin with weekend tea parties and may add more dates depending on demand.

The Back Story

Sellers has worked in tea for 20 years and serves on the board for World Tea in the Americas. She is also chairwoman of the board for the Atlanta Black Chambers.

Her start in tea came through Oprah Winfrey’s “Big Give” pay-it-forward initiative. Sellers said she entered a contest connected to the show after learning that the original Urban Tea Party owner was preparing to close.

Her one-page business plan was selected from about 600 entries, and within two weeks, Sellers said, she had won a tea shop in Virginia-Highland.

“I became an owner overnight,” Sellers told Business Debut.

Sellers said she does not know whether Oprah knows the business is still operating 20 years later, but the opportunity helped launch what has become her long-term work in tea, wellness and business.

Studio House and the Space

Urban Tea Party is located inside Studio House, an event space owned by Sonia Booker. Sellers said she attended an event there before learning the space could support her concept.

The collaboration gives Urban Tea Party room for a dedicated lounge, a tasting room, retail tea displays and larger event programming, Sellers shared with Business Debut.

Opening Timeline

Urban Tea Party is planning a soft opening June 1st and a launch June 10th.

Hours

The tea lounge is expected to be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Wellness Wednesdays and other weekday programming will include yoga, pilates, sound baths, Reiki and tea tastings.

Follow for More

Visit Urban Tea Party on its Website, Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Ché René Macarons on its Website.

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