Meet Jasmine Garland of TranquiliTea House

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Garland.

Jasmine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
TranquiliTea House started as a conversation I often had with my Aunt, who took me with her to frequent bookstores on the weekends when I was younger. Wherever we went to find good books, there was coffee. Always coffee. Coffee and what appeared to me to be an endless variety – lattes, cappuccinos, black coffee, macchiato, etc. When it came to the tea selection, it was always the same: Lipton or Tetley. I would tell her, “One day I’m going to open up a cafe that has an endless supply of tea and only 1 type of coffee.” 13 years later from that conversation, we opened up that cafe, known as TranquiliTea House, with her and my parents love and lots and lots of their support. We operated as a brick and mortar business in PA for a couple of years before closing and relocating to the metro ATL area. While we are on the lookout for a physical location, we are operating exclusively online and at private events.

The official relaunch (of our online store) that happened in July, however, was out of necessity. May and June were particularly difficult months for me as a black woman. I felt powerless to impart change in the world around me. I would often find myself making blends to make myself feel better, adding bits of different herbs and flowers that I knew would bring me comfort. When I learned about Breonna Taylor’s murder, it struck me deeply. I wish I could pinpoint exactly why, besides the obvious, of course. But I was enraged, hurt, and disappointed. I took to blending a tea that smelled and tasted like the overflow of emotion that I was experiencing. Up until that point, I had, admittedly, been hesitant, scared even, to officially relaunch with our brand new website. But I realized I couldn’t wait any longer. Life was, indeed, too short. Sad and frustrating as it is to admit, but I kept thinking to myself, “What makes me think I’m exempt? Why do I think it’s safe for me to sit on this passion, this gift I have for bringing comfort to others through tea when life can be stolen so easily? What example am I setting for my own children?” I decided then and there to launch the site. The first blend listed was “Strange Fruit: A Blend to Inspire the Arrest of the cops who Killed Breonna Taylor.” I decided to split the proceeds between Breonna Taylor’s family GoFundMe and the Louisville Bail Fund. The response was overwhelming and filled me with a bittersweet sort of joy. We all have our gifts and talents that can contribute to the causes we feel passionately about. Sometimes you just have to get a little more creative.

Has it been a smooth road?
Re-launching TranquiliTea House here in Atlanta has not been the smoothest road. There have been many, many long nights trying to perfect the blends, the packaging, really, everything for our relaunch. And of course, with the recent state of the world being what it is, finding a place to set up shop for an in-person tea house experience has been pushed to the back burner for now. Thankfully, my husband and my two children have been the driving forces behind my perseverance during this time. I am hopeful that once things return to some semblance of normalcy that we will be able to move forward with that portion of our plan. Regardless, I am eternally grateful for the support that we have experienced in the midst of it all during the two short months that our online shop has officially been open. We sold out of 2 of our blends twice in our first 30 days!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with TranquiliTea House – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
TranquiliTea House is an artisan tea brand specializing in hand-blended, full-leaf teas and tisanes carefully made in small batches. We are most proud of the fact that our teas are all custom made and cannot be found anywhere else. We aim to make tea accessible and enjoyable for all. We firmly believe that there is a tea or tisane for everybody, every ailment, every mood, and every occasion. We aim to encourage tea enthusiasts and tea samplers alike to explore the many varieties of tea that are available to them. And we are purposed to do all of this while remaining true to ourselves as a brand and as a black-owned business.

Once we open our official brick and mortar location, boy, are you in for a treat, Atlanta. The experience we’re bringing is unlike any other.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that there is always something to do – music to hear, shows to watch, places to visit. I love that there is variety in that as well. You can have just as much fun in jeans and a t-shirt at a so-called “hole in the wall” as you can all dolled up going downtown.

Dislikes? That’s easy: Traffic!!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tranquiliteahouse.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TranquiliTeaHouse
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TranquiliTeaHouse
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TranquiliTeaATL
• Other: https://www.teamap.com/place/3339/tranquilitea-house.html

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