Inspired by her West African and Black Creole roots, Munira Schofield is preparing to open Ayoko Tea House this spring in Mid-City at 3201 Toulouse St. While Ayoko Tea House will be a traditional café in many ways, it will focus on serving coffee during the day and shift to a “tea lounge” vibe at night. The tea selection will focus on West African and indigenous American drinks, while the coffee will be sourced from local roaster Mojo Coffee House. Ayoko Tea House will also offer a range of bath and personal care wellness products that are made in-house.
Ayoko Tea House will open in the former Rosalie Botanicals, and Schofield told What Now New Orleans that she hopes to continue bringing similar calm vibes to the surrounding Mid-City neighborhood as that former business did.
“I kind of wanted something that feels like a place where we can relax and get to know each other,” she said. “I want to talk to people who come in and educate them about our products rather than just selling something quick and fast.”
Schofield admits that a calming tea lounge may be a bit of a departure in a city known for music, drinking, dancing, and full-flavored food. She said she plans to focus on serving the neighborhood and growing her customer base by word-of-mouth.
“I know New Orleans can be a little bit difficult when it comes to introducing something to the market,” she said. “So, I really want to get the approval of the locals and interact with them face-to-face.”
“We want to target people who are looking for wellness in New Orleans because there’s already a lot of bars and places to get wired up,” she added.
