Let's Support Our Own.

'Comfort in a Cup'

Removed from the madness of Manhattan, sits a quaint and quiescent gourmet tea-shop in Rahway New Jersey. ‘Lay your burdens down and take a break from your journey,’ or simply put, ‘Kataluma’-a Greek term that embodies the spirit of Kataluma Chai-an E-tea-business, opening its doors for the very-first time, in mid-October.

While vacationing in Denver Colorado, friends Danielle Etienne and Aisha Thomas-Petit stumbled across and fell in-love with a gourmet tea cafe. The warm ambiance, charming atmosphere and phenomenal taste of Chai tea left such a lasting impression on the two-that it ultimately inspired a bigger idea: to bring Kataluma to the East Coast.

Unlike Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, Thomas-Petit and Etienne’s goal is to create a communal, homely environment for customers. ‘This does not feel like a franchise; it feels more like your living room’ describes Thomas-Petit.

After one-year of being devoted customers- having Kataluma Chai shipped from the Washington based-store to Rahway- Thomas-Petit and Etienne decided to take on licensing and vending, online. Both full-time working mothers and wives, Thomas-Petit, a Wall-Street VP of Human Resources for 11-years, and Etienne, a Registered Nurse in a hospital Emergency Room, did not let their personal or professional lives inhibit their vision for bringing that same ‘Kataluma’ experience to Rahway.

After some dialogue with the owner about establishing a presence in the North East, Thomas-Petit and Etienne commissioned a friend to create the website, began shipping the packaged teas from the West-Coast manufacturers and sold the product directly from their website. With a strong emphasis on community involvement and support, they began promoting the online business through local-events, securing vending booths and selling on-site at fashion shows, bazaars, and special church functions. The Rahway Center Partnership has also played an instrumental part in supporting the entrepreneurs. ‘The demand was definitely there for it,’ explained Thomas-Petit, after realizing how receptive customers were to the product.

After nearly three-years of successful e-commerce, and as part of the original terms as a licensee, it was time to launch a store location- but, not without a struggle. ‘We found a great location-but during the worst financial times possible,’ explained Thomas Petit- ‘there were no grants, no loans, no nothing; we were two-African-American women who couldn’t get a dime.’ As a result of the credit-crunch and literally no external financing, both partners resorted to their stellar credit, personal savings and wise decision making to execute their vision. ‘That’s what makes it so personal to us; we’ve put so much hard-work and love into it.’ As partners, Etienne manages the hands-on, day-to-day responsibilities on-site; while Thomas-Petit handles the back-end functions including bookkeeping, payroll and marketing.

Their labor of love has proven effective, as supporters, city officials, and locals anxiously await their grand-opening in mid-October. ‘We already have special requests’ elaborated Thomas-Petit, including a local Jazz-musician to play, a candle-company to display their products and even a Christening. ‘It’s all worth it and we’re very pleased with the results,’ added Thomas-Petit. ‘We would like to have multiple locations in NJ & NY-with more to come.’