The moment one steps to the counter of Jayida Ché Herbal Tea Spot, they are greeted with warm smiles and a nearly zen-like ambiance reflective of the space’s commitment to wellness and bliss—all from the time-honored tradition of serving tea.
The family-owned tea kiosk owned by Atlanta natives Aleathia Saleem and her niece Mariyah Sabir is nestled among a shared space they occupy alongside Endulge Cupcakes and has been serving a wide range of tea blends for nearly two years.
“We wanted to come up with a name with meaning,” Saleem explained. “We didn’t want to be just another tea shop, so we when we started to come up with a name, we wanted it to be ‘good tea;’ ‘jayida’ means good in Arabic and ‘che’ means tea in many languages, so we put it together to have a good meaning for our business.”
And good tea is exactly what the shop is known for and exactly what Saleem and Sabir have strived for. The two said they pride themselves on sourcing ingredients that are as locally produced as possible and create blends that they enjoy themselves.
While the two put a lot of meaning into the name of their shop, there is also a lot of meaning as to how the business even got started. Saleem explained that when her family was raising a young Sabir, she’d promised her and her own children that one day she would open a tea shop.
Two years ago, Sabir took her aunt out for tea and reminded her of that promise. After some coaxing, Saleem agreed to open the business on one condition—Sabir would have to open the shop with her.
“Three months later, we opened a tea shop,” Saleem said, with a smile filled with joy. “Our goal is to do more than just make another cup of a tea; we aim to make a better cup of tea. That starts with using good ingredients and setting the experience that we give as amazing, good, genuine, and memorable.”
Added Sabir, “We use fresh and organic products to blend our teas and to sweeten our teas with. Whenever you sip in with us your tea is served on a tray with a teapot, organic cane sugar or truffles, and creamer.”
