Sherry Waters, the founder of Pauline’s Tea-Bar Apothecary, created the establishment for those looking to relax and unwind for a few hours. Now, she’s preparing to open a second location in west Charlotte, North Carolina.
Pauline’s Tea-Bar is one of several new businesses as part of Historic West End Partners, an organization with a “mission to advocate for cultural preservation and economic development,” according to its website. The Charlotte Observer reported that a grand opening is set for early January.
Waters, who named the shop after her Grandma Pauline, opened the first location in July 2019. She wanted to create a safe space for people to sit back and enjoy some of the establishment’s most popular items. From loose-leaf teas such as spiced Indian chai, lemon and ginger and elderberry echinacea to locally sourced pastries and sandwiches, the Black woman-owned tea shop helps “refuel and gain respite from the busyness of life,” Waters said.
“In my previous roles as a community chaplain and in nonprofits, I saw a theme of people feeling depleted,” Waters said, according to a Charlotte Observer report. “I created The Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary as a place where people can gain restoration and enjoy a cup of serenity. Tea helps you slow down, and there’s sort of a sacredness to teatime.”
The second shop will operate out of an intimate yellow home, offering the same cozy atmosphere and decor as the first location. However, this establishment will have a separate tea-tasting room for “intimate gatherings or for patrons interested in meditation ceremonies with tea,” the Charlotte Observer reported.
“We’ll also highlight the ancestral linkage to African American tea houses and their relevance as a gathering spot to empower communities,” Waters said.
J’Tanya Adams, founder and executive director of Historic West End Partners, said the tea bar is part of an initiative to expand the area by bringing in more Black-owned businesses to help the community.
“We have several new businesses going into that same block, in keeping with our master plan focused on the Oaklawn district of Historic West End,” Adams said. “We’re all excited to see them start to open and become a reality. Pauline’s is my go-to place. It’s so different from a coffee shop, with more of a relaxed, calm space.”
