Your new favorite spot for tea, kava, and more is preparing to open in Largo . Southeast Botanicals , a St. Petersburg -based tea and kava importer is preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar tea (and more) shop at 1661 W Bay Dr, Suite B , according to submitted plan review paperwork.
“Established on the streets of Saint Petersburg in 2017,” materials provided to What Now by owner Colin Hollister describe tell the story of Southeast Botanicals.
“Hollister invested every penny he had towards purchasing his first shipment of tea powder from Indonesia while living in his car on Central Avenue. During this period, Colin was able to win the business of multiple tea bars across Florida with quality lab tested teas and friendly customer service. He advocated on Channel 10 news for people to consider the positive side of these teas at a time when there was only misinformation being reported. In 2018, Colin started America’s first kava and kratom festival at Jannus Live where he gathered 15 kava bars from across Florida to teach the public about the many benefits that kava and kratom offer. After approx. 400 days living outside, Colin had increased his inventory and customer base enough to live indoors again.”