Tootsie’s Tea Opens on Near West Side
Company's first retail store offers signature tea blends, packaged drinks and locally made art.
Interior of Tootsie’s Tea, 2406 W. Clybourn St. Photo taken June 26, 2026 by Sophie Bolich.
After years as a market vendor and wholesaler, Tootsie’s Tea is bringing its small-batch blends to a permanent location on the Near West Side.
The business launched its first retail shop at 2406 W. Clybourn St. in mid-June with two separate grand openings: one reserved for elders and people with disabilities and another held the following week for the general public.
The dual debuts are just one way owner Lizz Tsosie Stachura strives to fill everyone’s cup — and not just with tea.
“We wanted to honor those groups by giving them first access,” said Tsosie Stachura, whose tea-making journey began nearly a decade ago at an Arizona farmers market, where she first discovered a coconut-flavored blend that inspired her to start experimenting at home.
The new storefront brings Tootsie’s Tea’s production, retail operations and community programming together in one space. It also expands on the business’s mission of accessibility and community support through partnerships with local artisans and donations to area nonprofits and community programs.
The shop offers dozens of signature tea blends, including those for specific needs such as stress relief, relaxation and digestion. Many feature locally grown and harvested ingredients, including pink cornflower, sage and mint. Small jars of each blend line a display shelf near the entrance, allowing customers to see and smell the teas before making their final selections.
The store also carries canned and bottled beverages from brands like Font Kefir and Dééh Navajo Tea, alongside candles, pottery, soap, artwork and other handmade goods from local artisans.
In addition to using local ingredients, the business emphasizes sustainability through glass packaging and plans to repurpose spilled loose-leaf tea for nonedible uses such as potpourri, Tsosie Stachura said.
Tootsie’s recently hired two graduates from Milwaukee Public Schools‘ School-to-Work Transition Program with plans to continue its partnership through the upcoming school year.
The opening follows more than a year of construction in the shop, which is connected to Mo’s Food Market. Tsosie Stachura and her husband, Mike, completed much of the work themselves, installing dark wood shelving, building out a workshop space and mounting window boxes to fill with fragrant herbs and botanicals.
Tsosie Stachura plans to gradually expand inventory in the coming months, adding new tea accessories and tea-based snacks such as matcha pudding as the shop finds its footing.
Regular hours will be finalized based on customer feedback. For now, Tootsie’s shares its schedule via social media, though Tsosie Stachura said the shop will likely operate 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday once fully established.
For more information, or to shop online, visit the Tootsie’s Tea website.
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