By McKenzie Sanderson
The Ann Arbor News, Mich.
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) Since appearing on “Shark Tank”, entrepreneur Allison DeVane said her online sales skyrocketed and she has opened two brick-and-mortar cafes with a third store in the works.
ANN ARBOR, Mich.
Teaspressa, a tea company with a twist that was featured on the show “Shark Tank,” is opening its first Michigan cafe location at 414 S Main St. in Ann Arbor.
In 2015, Arizona entrepreneur Allison DeVane developed a way to prepare loose leaf tea blends like espresso shots, resulting in tea lattes and coffee-inspired beverages.
Although she ultimately did not get a deal when she presented Teaspressa to ABC’s “Shark Tank” in 2016, DeVane said the experience gave her business a boost.
“To be fair, my business was only three months old when I applied for ‘Shark Tank,'” DeVane said. “I tend to take on big projects like, ‘Yes, I can do this,’ without thinking of a plan to actually execute it. I always think of a way, though. The sharks were fair, they gave me great advice and it was a great experience.
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Since appearing on the show, DeVane said her online sales skyrocketed and she opened two brick-and-mortar cafe locations in Phoenix, Arizona. The Ann Arbor location will be her third store, and DeVane says her business is still growing.
“Last year, we had exponential growth with pop-up shops, national wholesale partnerships and a spike in online sales,” DeVane said. “This year, we will be expanding even more with new locations and product launches, with Ann Arbor being an exciting step in Teaspressa’s growth.”
Inside the 550-square-foot Ann Arbor cafe are white walls with two neon signs reading “C’est La Tea.” Lush, leafy plants decorate the marble countertops and windowsills.
Teaspressa’s menu features beverages built with steamed milk, combinations of tea or espresso shots, house-made elixirs and sugar cubes infused with rose, lavender and other flavors to add sweetness and flavor. Each drink costs $5 to $6, with extra flavor drops or sugar cubes costing an additional 25 cents.
The cafe also will sell pastries and sandwiches, as well as jars and bags of tea, sugar cubes, elixirs and other Teaspressa products.
The company’s grand opening was Saturday, June 16, but won’t officially open for business to the public until sometime later this year.
