Small Business
How a Tiny Tearoom in Brooklyn Bounced Back From Covid
The pandemic hammered Jamila McGill and Alfonso Wright’s bustling small business. Then celebrities such as Shonda Rhimes and Beyoncé turned the shop into a social media sensation.
This article is for subscribers only.
In December 2018, Jamila McGill and Alfonso Wright opened a tearoom in Bedford Stuyvesant, an historically Black neighborhood of stately brownstones in Brooklyn. The couple sought to make their shop, Brooklyn Tea, a local destination with imported teas, fresh coffee, pastries, and a vegan-friendly menu. A year later, business was just starting to pick up, with more people stopping in for tea and treats.
Then the pandemic hit.