It’s National Tea Day! Aside from honey, nothing makes today sweeter than knowing there’s so many HBCU students and alumni making a splash in the tea industry. So read on as HBCU Buzz spills the tea on who’s got the most fragrant cups around, and make sure you grab a cup at a location near you!
Alphonso Wright and Jamila McGill
North Carolina A&T State University and Spelman College
If you haven’t yet heard about the Brooklyn Tea brand, then you’ll come to appreciate the success it’s bringing two HBCU alumni! Alphonso Wright first found an interest in tea as a young boy. The N.C. A&T alumnus would bring his mother tea starting at 3 years old, but found himself adding less and less sugar to her cups. Realizing that she never noticed the change, it led him down a rabbit hole of studying authentic tea flavors and even becoming a certified tea sommelier. As he began dating Spelman College alumna Jamila McGill, his love of tea rubbed off on her. Now the two Broolynites are proud co-founders of a business created around the tea that brought them together.
Brooklyn Tea in Bedstuy now serves over 60 varietals of tea, from “Milk Oolong to Raspberry Green Tea and “Well-kanda.” They also serve up pastries, cookies in shapes like Brooklyn native The Notorious B.I.G., apparel, tea gift boxes and more! They always have sample teas at their bar, and change them every day.
Quote: “It felt all magic and special and I got caught up in the magic of it all,” said McGill. “We talked about who we wanted to be, and the idea of tea as a business came from that.”
Kerri-Ann Thomas – Brooklyn Tea Room
Spelman College
While the first Brooklyn Tea location is planted firmly on Nostrand Avenue to recognize the roots of the couple, recently another branch sprouted in Atlanta! Spelman College alumna Kerri-Ann T. Thomas opened up the Brooklyn Tea Room last spring in the Castleberry Hill area. Thomas’ journey began when she met McGill at Spelman. Over time she became instrumental in helping her classmate establish the flagship in New York, and that hard work made her an easy top candidate to lead a new location. Two employees from the Brooklyn location were accepted to the nearby Clark Atlanta University within months of the Atlanta store’s opening, making it all feel like destiny. Thomas makes her store unique by remembering small details about the lives of customers, and creating long-lasting relationships with ease.
Quote: “To have Kerri at the helm of it just perfectly fit,” McGill told What Now Atlanta. “She has a love and investment for the city of Atlanta and her mother resides in the city… we wanted to do well for the city and wanted to help it expand and flourish. There was no other alternative, we were always going to open a second location.”
Janon Costley: Village Tea Company + CapCity Beverage. Current: COO, Rogue One Inc. + Rogue Baron, PLC.
N.C. A&T
North Carolina A&T State University alumnus Janon Costley has dedicated his life to creating businesses in consumer product sectors that have historically excluded African-American ownership and leadership. He has led several consumer products and retail companies including Village Tea Company. The company was founded on the premise that everyone should be able to enjoy quality loose leaf tea as an effective, organic part of everyday health and wellness. As a result of seeking that purity, the tea was certified USDA Organic, Kosher as well as sustainably sourced and packaged. The brand was available in major retailers and grocers across the country including Vitamin Shoppes and Wholefoods. Mr. Costley now applies similar ethics to his current role as Chief Operating Officer of Rogue One, Inc and Rogue Baron, PLC respectively.
Kerri-Ann Thomas – Brooklyn Tea Room
Spelman College
While the first Brooklyn Tea location is planted firmly on Nostrand Avenue to recognize the roots of the couple, recently another branch sprouted in Atlanta! Spelman College alumna Kerri-Ann T. Thomas opened up the Brooklyn Tea Room last spring in the Castleberry Hill area. Thomas’ journey began when she met McGill at Spelman. Over time she became instrumental in helping her classmate establish the flagship in New York, and that hard work made her an easy top candidate to lead a new location. Two employees from the Brooklyn location were accepted to the nearby Clark Atlanta University within months of the Atlanta store’s opening, making it all feel like destiny. Thomas makes her store unique by remembering small details about the lives of customers, and creating long-lasting relationships with ease.
Quote: “To have Kerri at the helm of it just perfectly fit,” McGill told What Now Atlanta. “She has a love and investment for the city of Atlanta and her mother resides in the city… we wanted to do well for the city and wanted to help it expand and flourish. There was no other alternative, we were always going to open a second location.”
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Janon Costley – Village Tea Company + Affinity Beverage Group + CapCity Beverage + STI Signature Spirits Group. Current: COO, Rogue One Inc. + Rogue Baron, PLC.
N.C. A&T
North Carolina A&T State University alumnus Janon Costley has dedicated his life to creating businesses in consumer product sectors that have historically excluded African-American ownership and leadership. He has led several consumer products and retail companies including Village Tea Company. The company was founded on the premise that everyone should be able to enjoy quality loose leaf tea as an effective, organic part of everyday health and wellness. As a result of seeking that purity, the tea was certified USDA Organic, Kosher as well as sustainably sourced and packaged. The brand was available in major retailers and grocers across the country including Vitamin Shoppes and Whole Foods. Mr. Costley now applies similar ethics to his current role as Chief Operating Officer of Rogue One, Inc and Rogue Baron, PLC respectively.
Eric and Lynnette Dodson – Cuples Tea House
Morgan State University
Married entrepreneurs and Morgan State University alumni Eric and Lynnette Dodson began their tea endeavor as a way to earn more income, but the move ultimately earned them a special place in the heart of Baltimore. Dubbed an “Urban Tea Experience,” Cuples Tea House is a place where you can come for the tea but stay for the vibes. Tea isn’t often discussed in Black communities for the medicinal properties that varietals have. As a result, the location was created to give the B-more community a fun and healthy way to enjoy premium loose-leaf tea, tea accessories and tea education. Convenience is also a key root of the business. In addition to amazing waffles and sandwiches featured on the regular menu, there is also a new grab-n-go menu being offered! Created with local, fresh, seasonal ingredients, customers can grab a Southern Caesar Salad, Sweet Potato Scone with Smoked Pecans and Maple Glaze, soups and more!
Quote: “We started Cuples Tea while researching ideas to create residual income for our family and what we ended up with, was a product that provides alternatives to carbonated, sugar laden drinks,” said the couple. “So in 2015, we jumped in with both feet to create a brand that allows us to combine tea education, music, art, literature, and good vibes in a socially connected atmosphere – all while inspiring healthier communities through educating people about the many medicinal benefits of drinking tea.”
Dr. Sunyatta Amen – Calabash Tea & Tonic
Florida A&M University
Wellness is something that should be accessible to all people, and Calabash Tea & Tonic owner Sunyatta Amen has made sure of that! The vegan Florida A&M University alumna and 5th generation herbalist established her brand in Washington, D.C. to connect people to what is healthy and uplifting. Amen is a vegan and grew up around herb shops and vegan juice bars. Her father was a biologist who went vegan after suffering from bad gallstones in college that forced him into surgery. Her mother is an island-born pescatarian. With her own store, she has created a safe space and wellness center. While there, you can find replenishing items like biotin vitamins, coconut butter soap, tonics for immune boost and more.
Quote: The Calabash mantra is “Decolonize the Tongue”
