We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Wright Fitzgerald and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I officially started my herbal wellness business, Tea & Tarot, in 2020 during the global pandemic. It might have seemed like a risky idea given the state of the world at the time but I decided to take a leap of faith! I opened my doors at a time when people, especially women and people of color needed support, I opened my doors to them. I create handcrafted tea and wellness goodies, offer Tarot and esoteric services, and host classes and workshops both in person and online. I realized how important this opportunity was when I saw the people who came through the door. More than 50% of my clientele had never had a Tarot reading and felt comfortable doing so with us. The majority of my clients are women, women of color, and the LGBTQ+ community who needed extra support and felt safe in our space. We could feel people exhaling as they took a look around the beautiful 300-year-old house and were greeted with a cup of tea. My amazing team and I operate from a place of serving first and we are endlessly delighted and in awe of how gracious the community has responded to us! This was everything I could have imagined when I started the business – and continues to surprise me every day with how much being an open space for our community continues to fill our cups as much as we pour into theirs!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Tea & Tarot is an eclectic, witchy, herbal wellness boutique in downtown Madison, CT. Tucked away in the attic of a 300 hundred year old house is this herbal witch’s cottage and apothecary, where dozens of handmade teas, other herbal products and esoteric services are offered. We offer one-of-a-kind holistic tarot and energy sessions to help clients move through what may be in their way and find the next best steps to move forward. As a woman-owned, black-owned, and LGBTQ+ owned business, Tea & Tarot strives to offer the shoreline community a warm and safe space to treat your mind, body and soul.

What we are most excited about it our ability to create an experience that is unforgettable! We offer services that many others don’t, in a comfortable magic environment. We greet you with tea and smile, ready to support you in any way we can.

We offer products you can’t find anywhere – and most are homegrown, handmade by those who work in the shop – or are sourced from other local businesses, women-owned businesses, black/minority-owned businesses and LGBTQ+-owned businesses. We can tell you a great deal about most of the items we carry in the shop!

I believe we survived the pandemic because we got to know our clients well and welcome people to come in even if its just to visit us. It is amazing that most weekends, our clients gift us with handmade mugs, freshly basked bread and jam, flowers, chocolates, baked goods, and even whisky just for being there for them when they needed support! it warms my heart endlessly that we receive as much love as we try to give out!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend was visiting, I would take them to…

Madison Cheese Shop in downtown Madison, CT for gourmet grilled cheese. You haven’t lived until you have a gooey brie with apricot jam on fresh bread!

The Madison beach and spend most of the day there. I am a beach bum so I love to camp out at the beach as much as I can.

Book Barn in Niantic is a fun way to spend an afternoon. With endless little barns filled to the brim with books of every kind, you can find almost anything!

One of my favorite places to eat is Mecha Noodle Bar in New Haven or Fairfield. I actually met my wife at Mecha – some of the most delicious Vietnamese ramen and pho you can imagine! Delicious!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate my shoutout to both my wife, my family and my team.

My wife, Johanna, who loves me as I am, let me take this leap into the unknown and is still trying very hard to understand what the heck I even do!

My entire family always gave me space to be exactly who I am without any questions. At every turn, they were all there to support and cheer me on. To my parents who taught me how to be an independent thinker and lead with my heart; The Aunts who always show up with tote bags in hand ready for any creative project; and the rest of my family who all turn out for everything no matter what!

My fabulous team! Each of them wandered into my shop one at a time and stuck around. They love the space and what we do passionately! They pour their heart and soul into everything we do together. No matter what happens to the business, they were worth the journey to find!

Website: http://teaandtarotboutique.com/

Instagram: @teatarotboutique / @theteatarotwitch

Facebook: @teatarotboutique / @theteatarotwitch

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tea-and-tarot-madison?osq=tea+%26+tarot

Other: Tik Tok – @teatarotboutique / @theteatarotwitch

Image Credits
Photos taken by Tea & Tarot Team

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