Jessica Messmer, owner and operator of Cup and Kettle Tea Co., is trying to turn a problem into a solution, and hopefully more customers, with a Save the Tea Shop ScaffoldTEA, now for sale at her downtown shop.
The need for the ScaffoldTEA began about two years ago when scaffolding was erected outside of the former Princess Theater, which is directly south of the Cup and Kettle location at 208 N. Walnut St., Suite 100. The building was owned by ReVv & Strum Hospitality and was purchased by Neil Patzner on Feb. 6 this year for $1 million. In March Patzner told The Herald-Times that he plans to repair the facade, stating that it will take time. The upper levels of the building house apartments, he said.
Messmer recalls the scaffolding first erected was taken down in May this year and replaced with other scaffolding. The new structure wasn’t good for business but what was worse was what construction people placed in front of the Cup and Kettle windows.
“They put up a Porta Potty,” Messmer said. She had to talk to several people, including city officials, before that was removed. Then a “Road Closed” sign appeared, blocking the window. When that was taken down, a “Sidewalk Closed” sign was placed near the window. It’s still there even though a walkway using orange plastic barricades allows people to walk from her shop to the downtown courthouse. A small addition written at the top of the sign tells people there’s a walkway open.
“I asked the city if I could put up a sign,” she said recently. Officials told her she would have to go through all the committees to determine if she could have one. That’s something the single mother of two and small business owner doesn’t have time to add to her daily schedule.
Messmer then applied for a sidewalk grant from the city. But so far she’s had no reply or response to her request.
Two years of lost revenue for Cup & Kettle
Through all of that, Messmer has continued to operate Cup and Kettle but with the sidewalk issues and scaffolding almost hiding the open sign in the shop window, walk-in traffic has drastically decreased.
The single mother said she’s lost her kids’ college funds, all her savings and the income from a house she rented. In all, Messmer said she’s lost more than $100,000 to cover the rent and expenses that have piled up in the past two years.
That loss comes from the drastic reduction in walk-in customers. Before the scaffolding rose next door, Cup & Kettle Tea Company had about 60 transactions each day in the shop, Messmer said. Now there’s between 9 and 11 each day.
“That’s an 80% reduction in revenue,” she said. “Who can predict two years of invisibility?”
Shop offers Scaffold Tea blend as fundraiser
Messmer has been trying to entice patrons to the shop, “making the inside as cozy as possible,” she said in an email, as “a little oasis from the construction chaos.”
Looking for a solution, Messmer recently announced the special Scaffold Tea blend fundraiser. The tea is a limited edition tea of organic black tea, organic peaches, organic calendula and organic vanillia extract. On the Cup & Kettle Facebook page it states “every bag directly supports keeping Cup & Kettle afloat until construction is done.”
There are “support tiers” customers can choose:
“It’s been wonderful seeing our community rally behind this blend,” Messmer said. “… it’s a story of resilience, and every purchase truly makes a difference.”
Swift-TEA Party and more planned for customers
Cup & Kettle has offered special events since it opened in 2017. When Messmer became full owner of the shop in 2020, that continued.
Currently Cup and Kettle has a monthly Come(d)tea Party night, usually on a Monday. That will continue, as will the Tuesday and Thursday brunches. Anyone who wants to attend those must register in advance on the shop’s website, cupandkettletea.com.
In September, the tea shop will host a Swift-TEA party, inspired by Taylor Swift, with themed teas, treats and friendship bracelet-making.
Anyone who wants to visit the cozy tea shop can stop by 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. It’s not hard to find — look for the scaffolding.
Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Cup & Kettle offers Save the Tea Shop ScaffoldTEA in effort to increase traffic
Reporting by Carol Kugler, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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