We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Reginald Quarles a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Reginald , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I knew a few things prior to starting to Teatopia. I knew I wanted to created something that was mine, I knew that I wanted to create a space that was relaxing, peaceful, and could allow people to be themselves without having to put on a facade, and I knew I loved tea.
With all these things in mind, I started drafting the idea(s) of Teatopia. I had two names one was Teatopia and the other , I do not recall but it was not as good as Teatopia. Taking the words tea and Utopia and merging them together was the best way to describe to others what type of space I was creating. There were a ton of Coffee shops as the time, but not many tea shops and no tea shops that did not have the Old English Style and Feeling. I wanted to steer away from that type of space. I wanted to create a space with its’ own unique identity and feel.
Reginald , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have alway been tea drinker and I have a mental health background. I wanted to merge these tow worlds together. Have a space that is relaxing and calming and lets you be your authentic self all while having access to amazing tea, food, smoothies and tea ware. I am most proud of the fact that no one else in my family have tried to start a business and I was willing to break that barrier. I recall when I told my grandmother that I was going to leave my job and start my own business. She told me “boy you better keep that good job”. She was just trying to protect me the best way she new how; this was a leap that I had to take for me and for generations to come. I am most proud of the fact that I decided to open Teatopia and take the risk of being different.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
The best story that I can think of is the fact that we made it through COVID. Although it was difficult we were still able to push through. We offer shipping and wholesale in addition to our brick and mortar customers so we were able to push to increase the sales of those two services also.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to learn what is expensive to me as an individual is not the same as what is expensive for a business. It is easy to forget the the amount of money that is spent on an item has the potential to make the company at least twice as much as the machinery costs. So it took me some time to adjust the way I spend money for the shop and how I spend money for myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: teatopiastl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teatopiastl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teatopiastl
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-quarles-7160b1137/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/teatopiastl
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/teatopia-saint-louis?osq=teatopia
Image Credits
I am permission to use the photos.