Tea TesterIt all started with a dream - a dream of running an herbal tea shop that empowers the community with a healing cup of warm tea. Born and raised in Poland under Soviet Russian rule, Kasia's story has humble beginnings. After emigrating to America at age 27 and meeting her husband Steve, she pursued a degree in nutrition, raised a family, and spent over 15 years working at Natures Way Health Store in Stratford. During her time there, Kasia embedded herself to the local wellness community which not only gave her the confidence and support she needed, but also deepened her understanding of naturopathic medicine and herbs to heal both body and mind. Fast forward to 2016: the timing wasn't perfect, the funds were tight, but Kasia felt an undeniable calling to pursue her dream. With the guidance, mentorship, and support of friends and family, she embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, and Open Door Tea was born in September 2016.When the 2020 pandemic threatened to close the tearoom for good, Kasia's son Dylan stepped in to help. He brought the tearoom "online" with the opening of an e-commerce store, and together with Kasia developed a new service: Virtual Tea Tastings. By shipping the same 4 teas (and cookies) to a group of 15-100 people, mini communities came together on Zoom to enjoy team-building experiences that are both educating and fun. The huge success of these virtual events ushered in the next stage of growth - raising investment to expand of our tearoom and production center, as well as a new partner, Sarah, to manage growing café operations. Staying true to the core, Open Door Tea has become a thriving community where everyone is welcome to live, learn, and love—one cup of tea at a time.
