Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Flores
Hi Leah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As I finished up my career in education and retired, I discovered a wonderful tea shop in my hometown and wanted to bring these amazing teas to San Antonio. The flavors and health benefits were like nothing I had ever seen before, and I knew that people would absolutely love them and that they could improve the health and wellness of so many who struggle with too much sugar intake, need an alternative to artificial sweeteners and could enjoy the mental and physical self-care that organic teas can provide.
I had never run a business before, but I threw myself into the project over two years and was able to open in April of 2023.
Since then I have had an amazing experience learning, sharing and growing my shop and working tirelessly to get the word out to the community that organic loose leaf tea is here in the city for them to enjoy.
We’ve added craft drinks, gluten free food options, networking, high tea experiences and much more as we work to become an integral part of the city.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely NOT been a smooth road, but it has been super rewarding, not monetarily, but in other ways.
The franchise I started with provided no marketing support and was not willing to change the approach that they used in their primarily small town markets.
I quickly realized the relationship was not going to work and had to go it on my own which meant completely rebranding and starting from scratch.
At this point I had no money left to pay for the work that needed to be done, so I did everything from designing a new logo to painting the shop and everything in between. Meanwhile I kept networking and spreading a new name to whoever would listen.
It’s been a rough year and a half, but I’m still passionate and feel so lucky to have this opportunity! People absolutely love us when they find us, and that is a wonderful feeling!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
LaTEAda is a loose leaf tea house and cafe. We have curated our teas so that we offer the very best flavor and quality at reasonable prices for almost all budgets.
We also offer high tea experiences which have been incredibly well received. People tell us that they love the vibe our shop has. We have a play area for the kids, story time, tea tastings, tea class, and offer all kinds of opportunities for people to come and learn and enjoy.
Our customers tell us they love the sense of community we have created and that is probably what we are most proud of.
Everything we serve is either made exclusively by us or by other area small businesses. We sell vendor items and bakery items from local artisans that are top quality and delicious!
What’s next?
My greatest hope is to be able to stay in business and hopefully open a second location in the future.
We have all five star reviews and are striving to keep that stellar rating. A huge piece of the puzzle is education because most people do not have any experience with loose leaf tea and it is difficult to imagine the possibilities.
We hope to continue to expand what we offer and build our reputation by offering experience based enjoyment for all ages with a healthy bonus.
Pricing:
- Loose leaf tea is $5.95 per ounce
- High Tea is $35 per person (over 5 years of age)
- Sandwiches, crepes, soup, pastries under $10
- Menu drinks under $10
- Gallons of tea $6.50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/lateada.sanantonio
- Instagram: Lateada.sanantonio
- Facebook: laTEAda.sanantonio
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lateada.sanantonio?si=9pW1wTHUbQrlEXL6
