Starting your own tea business
17 posts • Page 2 of 2 • 1, 2
Re: Starting your own tea business
by randroli » Jul 18th, '11, 12:11
Hi Charles,
I am in the very beginning stages of researching and reading all I can about opening and running a tea room, which I plan to do sometime in the next 5 years. I've been a passionate tea drinker and all my life, and a student of tea for almost as long. Unfortunately, I'm relatively inexperienced in the world of small business. I have a few questions, and possibly you could point me in the right direction:
1) What is a ballpark estimate for an initial small business loan for a tea business with a retail location that is both a tea room (sit-down and take-out with pastries brought in fresh each morning from a local bakery) and retailer (teaware, loose tea, tea accessories, books, etc)? I have no idea where to start to get a good estimate going, and have been unable to find a good comprehensive sample list of start-up supplies.
2) What is the best way to gain experience in a tea room without going directly to who will be my competition and asking for a part-time job?
3) I LOVE to travel and dream of visiting tea growers and spending time learning the growing, firing and finishing processes first-hand in Asia, but at the moment lack the budget to go on such extensive trips. Are there any less costly ways to get in touch directly with the tea trade?
Thanks!
-Rebecca
I am in the very beginning stages of researching and reading all I can about opening and running a tea room, which I plan to do sometime in the next 5 years. I've been a passionate tea drinker and all my life, and a student of tea for almost as long. Unfortunately, I'm relatively inexperienced in the world of small business. I have a few questions, and possibly you could point me in the right direction:
1) What is a ballpark estimate for an initial small business loan for a tea business with a retail location that is both a tea room (sit-down and take-out with pastries brought in fresh each morning from a local bakery) and retailer (teaware, loose tea, tea accessories, books, etc)? I have no idea where to start to get a good estimate going, and have been unable to find a good comprehensive sample list of start-up supplies.
2) What is the best way to gain experience in a tea room without going directly to who will be my competition and asking for a part-time job?
3) I LOVE to travel and dream of visiting tea growers and spending time learning the growing, firing and finishing processes first-hand in Asia, but at the moment lack the budget to go on such extensive trips. Are there any less costly ways to get in touch directly with the tea trade?
Thanks!
-Rebecca
- randroli
- Posts: 2
- Joined: May 3rd, '1
Re: Starting your own tea business
by ronnie » Sep 27th, '11, 13:07
Hi,
My name is Ron and I just opened Tea with Wheatley this past weekend. The opening day was a great success, but now is where the rubber meets the road, and unfortunately its close to the end of the season. My location is great on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin, so my goal is to make it until next season. I have 30 different teas, 4 oolongs, 3 pu-erhs, 3 blacks, 3 whites, 4 greens and and the rest herbals. We sell hot tea in eco friendly to-gos, Ice Sweet tea, and bubble tea. We also sell teas by the ounce and filters. I have a unique dispaly of over 100 tea cups with a full line of Royal Alberts new in boxes and over 30 unique tea pots. We have a small tea room that accomodates 10-14 and an awesome view of the lake. No food only tea cookies for now. Any ideas on things to enhance business? Plannig on hat day, and tea seminars to taste and educate.
Ron
My name is Ron and I just opened Tea with Wheatley this past weekend. The opening day was a great success, but now is where the rubber meets the road, and unfortunately its close to the end of the season. My location is great on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin, so my goal is to make it until next season. I have 30 different teas, 4 oolongs, 3 pu-erhs, 3 blacks, 3 whites, 4 greens and and the rest herbals. We sell hot tea in eco friendly to-gos, Ice Sweet tea, and bubble tea. We also sell teas by the ounce and filters. I have a unique dispaly of over 100 tea cups with a full line of Royal Alberts new in boxes and over 30 unique tea pots. We have a small tea room that accomodates 10-14 and an awesome view of the lake. No food only tea cookies for now. Any ideas on things to enhance business? Plannig on hat day, and tea seminars to taste and educate.
Ron
- ronnie
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sep 27th, '
17 posts • Page 2 of 2 • 1, 2
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