BrownStyle Magazine is proud to introduce our new initiative that shines the spotlight on small businesses owned by Women of Color (WOC) and People of Color (POC)— a community that often has limited resources to promote their businesses in today’s highly competitive industries.
Join us every Saturday to meet the founders building their up-and-coming brands in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle industries one sale at a time. Experience their unique backstory, the inspiration behind their startup, and even find out the brand’s bestselling item that you can shop today!
This Week’s Small Business Spotlight
The Tea Experience NY
Location: Mount Vernon, NY
The Brand Story
It was Leslie Allicks’ destiny to enter the tea industry. According to the CEO and Founder of The Tea Experience NY, the path was laid far before she was born.
“The roots of my tea journey trace back to my great-grandfather, who migrated from the Caribbean to the U.S. and worked at Haviland & Co. in New York City,” Allicks tells BrownStyle Magazine exclusively. “He filled my grandfather’s and father’s homes with an assortment of cups, saucers, and, of course, tea.”
Her father, who was also a tea enthusiast, instilled in her his deep appreciation for the therapeutic beverage. “No meal is complete without a cup of tea,” he would frequently say. Following her father’s passing from cancer in 2006, Allicks embarked on a journey of opening her very first tea house just outside New York City in a town called Pelham. “I wanted to pay homage to my Dad and my familial connection to tea!”
What initially began as a brick-and-mortar tea house has since transformed into an online retail venture, offering mobile tea parties across the NY/NJ/CT tri-state area.
“My journey has been marked by resilience, adapting to personal challenges, surviving a pandemic, navigating economic crises, and staying attuned to the ever-changing landscape of customer needs and trends,” she reveals.
The Tea Experience NY’s Bestselling Item
SimpliciTEA Starter Box
$45
The SimpliciTEA Starter Box is the perfect all-occasion gift or a thoughtful “just because” surprise for someone special in your life. Whether it’s a birthday, a celebration, or a simple gesture of kindness, this box is sure to delight tea enthusiasts. Inside, you’ll find carefully curated teas that cater to various tastes and preferences.
What Makes The Tea Experience NY A Small Business To Shop
According to Allicks, there is a lack of specialized and reputable catering companies that offer customer-tailored tea-themed events and educational sessions. This is why The Tea Experience NY provides the finest quality teas and accessories for customers seeking unique and memorable events (e.g. bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, fundraiser, etc.). The company also offers virtual and IRL tea tastings, as well as a monthly subscription box.
The Showstopper
The Tea Experience is not only a tea party catering business, but a purveyor of organic and fair trade loose-leaf teas for both individuals and businesses who want to gift delicious teas to loyal customers, clients, colleagues, and employees.
“The Tea Experience (TTE) is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all things dedicated to the simple pleasure of drinking and enjoying tea,” Allicks explains. “Our SimpliciTEA- curated gift boxes or baskets fit all budgets. Each SimpliciTEA box is personally curated by me and contains quality tea and unique tea-related goodies.”
What’s Next For The Tea Experience NY
Allicks’ vision for pushing boundaries in the industry is to create a large-scale space for creatives, makers, and start-up entrepreneurs that features retail space, storage space, and a full commercial kitchen—a first-of-its-kind in the New York area.
How To Support
To be a part of Leslie Allicks’ story and help her continue to grow, check out her website at theteaexperienceny.com. Remember, one purchase from a small business could change someone’s life! Also, give them a follow on Instagram.
