Sista Teas takes flavor further

Written By Mayah Collins

Sista Teas’ CEO Shantay Owens turned me, a non-tea drinker, into a lifetime customer. On a Sunday afternoon in late October (2021), I envisioned finding an elegant blouse at Triangle Town Center Mall in North Carolina. Having a life-changing cup of tea was the last thing on my mind. Instead of finding a blouse that day, I discovered a shop that looked like it magically appeared in the mall overnight.

It all started with an offer. "Hello," tearista Kayla said. "Our tea of the day is Fruity Breeze. Would you like to try a free sample?"

Of course, I couldn't say no, and I was merely enticed by the shop's name– Sista Teas. Was it black-owned? After being drawn to try the free sample, the bold and flavorful tea blends hit my tongue and begged me to meet the owner. First, I had to buy a canister of my new favorite tea. Then I waited patiently to introduce myself.

Shantay, 28, was surrounded by customers left and right, and I was next in line. Once my premium quality loose leaf tea transaction was complete, I gave her my business card, suggesting we keep in touch.

Shantay emailed me her compliance to meeting for a one-on-one interview within an hour. Our initial get-together gave me a glimpse inside her world as a black-owned entrepreneur, a wife, a mother of two daughters, and an obedient child of God.

"God wants to see if you're going to be obedient to what he says no matter if it sounds crazy," Shantay said. "I'll do anything for God because he saved me from bondage.

"I could be doing this without him and be a wreck," she said. "I trust my source because he's showing me the direction in the maze, and I don't have to take the maze alone."

At the tender age of 12, the Mount Vernon, New York native constantly reminded herself that she would be her own boss one day. Aside from creating a skincare line in 2015 and closing shop two years later, Shantay never gave up on her dreams of becoming a full-time entrepreneur. She was more determined than ever to create a legacy for her daughters, ages one and three. A fresh new start was on the brink of blossoming amid the turmoil in her life, including marital issues. In 2019, she established Sista Teas, which transformed her life forever. But where did the name come from? Did it just fall from the sky?

"It just came out of nowhere," Shantay said. "It was like he [God] was really speaking to me. He said, 'You're going to open up a tea business.' I even felt him say, 'Call it Sista Teas.'"

Confirmation came from sitting on her couch trying to figure out her next move and clearing her mind to hear the message of God. Having worked for Teavana, it was a no-brainer to start a tea business since she had extensive knowledge of teas. However, Shantay wasn't fond of the name at first, but it quickly grew on her.

"Sista Teas really evolved because my sister was able to help me build this business at first, and then she released herself from it for me to do it on my own," she said. Then I had my second child, and I realized that God gave me this business for my daughters. To call it Sista Teas for them, my husband helped me realize that. We're creating a legacy for our daughters."

When Shantay quit working for the Air Force in the IT field, which paid $60,000 annually, her faith walk began, and her marriage was restored.

No one back home in New York could understand why she would leave a great job and move to Raleigh, North Carolina, in March of 2021. To make things more interesting, she moved with a vision alone. Shantay wasn't interested in applying for a job; she had plans to employ herself. The moment Shantay and her husband, Kanaan Owens, acted on the heaven-sent idea, there was no looking back. Their faith year had begun with humble beginnings.

"If he [God] gives you the vision, best believe he will provide the provision," Shantay said. "We believe the promises. If we step and live a righteous life according to what he says, he will provide, heal, and do whatever he says he's going to do. He is a God who cannot lie."Five months passed when Shantay and Kanaan decided to open a physical location in their new city. On August 1, 2021, the couple started as small kiosk operators in Triangle Town Center Mall at 5959 Triangle Town Blvd, Raleigh, N.C. It was a key proponent of establishing a local buzz for Sista Teas. They signed a lease to their shop (#2159) in the mall one month later and held a grand opening on October 1. January 28, 2022, Shantay and Kanaan moved to a bigger location in the same mall.

Behind the scenes, a Zoom conference was created for family members to become investors in Sista Teas. Kanaan developed an investment portfolio, and the rest was history. Money trickled in slowly but surely, which allowed the couple to paint the shop and furnish it.

Sista Teas remarkably has a five-star rating on Google. Under the review category, customers rave about the quality of the teas being served, their healing capabilities, and being educated on the benefits of consuming tea.

Letitia, a loyal customer who visits the shop several times throughout the week, loves the minibar at Sista Teas. "I am a tea connoisseur," she said. "I love fine teas, and it's the perfect season to sip on something nice, flavorful, and hot."

What exactly makes Sista Teas' brand of tea stand out? According to Shantay, it's their core values: Relaxation, Sophistication, and Satisfaction.

"I want customers to try a sample of our tea first– that's the hook," Shantay said. "Once they try the tea, they enter our shop, and we'll explain why the tea is so flavorful. You're getting a good quality of tea sourced from China, Indonesia, India, and Africa.

"These places have nice spices, herbs, and aromas," Shantay continued. "I want people to feel like they're traveling when tasting the tea."

The most popular tea sold out of eight tea selections is Blue Moon. It has a rich ginger taste, steeps blue, and turns purple when a pinch of lemon is added. Other teas include Blooming Berry, Tropical Day, Vanilla Blossom, Vanilla Rose, Orange Moroccan Mint, Fruity Breeze, and Citrus Hibiscus. They're a combination of rooibos, herbal, black, and green teas with many benefits. Some health benefits include lowering blood pressure, improving bone density, relieving anxiety, improving the digestive system, heart health, and aiding the menstrual cycle.

Monday through Saturday, Sista Teas is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. With the shop's success, Shantay is thinking about opening up more locations and eventually offering franchise opportunities. Shantay is very passionate about representing her authentic self with such a booming business.

"I didn't know that this business would attract other clientele [white customers]," she said. "God will reveal to you why he's doing the things he's doing. He's able to keep me in my identity as a sista. Customers can come in here, and we'll show them hospitality and humility. We will serve them, and they will leave feeling like they had an experience with us. They won't just leave like, 'Oh, I had a cup of tea, and it was great.' It's going to be an experience."

Freedom of time quickly became Shantay's most valuable asset as an entrepreneur once she started Sista Teas, which blossomed during a pandemic– Covid-19. The key driving force to being an entrepreneur is inspiring her daughters to become their own bosses and break generational curses. Serving people is also a legacy she wishes to leave behind. The takeaway she wants her community to implement in their very own life is to help others.

"Take care of people genuinely," Shantay said. "When you do that, God will take care of you. Take care of his children, and he will take care of you."