A new tea shop has opened in the Crowsnest Pass and it brings a different style with it.

Owner of Connected Cuppas, Melanie Bright, says she’s taken different aspects of shops she’s visited and blended them together to create a unique space.

“In my hometown there are a few different little coffee shops and tea shops and they're fantastic. I kind of took things I liked from other coffee shops and tea shops that I'd been to and tried to implement it here to make it comfortable, interesting and a place where people would want to come.”

There are different aspects to Brights shop but she says tea is the main focus.

“First and foremost we're a tea shop. I blend my own teas as well as bring in bases and teas already blended but I do make a lot of my own. My Crowsnest blend is black tea with orange and lemon rind in it. I do fresh soups and baking everyday as well so people can come in for a snack. We're not a restaurant but people can come in, relax and warm up.”

Bright has also found a way to include local artists in her shop as well.

“We also have local vendors bring in their stuff so I have a lot of art, pots and crafts from local vendors that we sell.”

Bright has lived in the Pass for just under two years and says when the opportunity to open a shop presented itself, she had to take it.

“The opportunity came up and I grabbed it. I'd been making my own tea for about three years and I started going to farmers markets this year and it went well. Then an opportunity to do this presented itself and I grabbed it.”

Bright says she has her favourite types of blends.

“I like peppermint so when I started it was peppermint, spearmint and I also grew mojito mint because I make a mojito blend in the summer.”

Bright hopes Connected Cuppas can become more than a tea shop though as she has reached out to different groups to see if they would want to use her space for meetings as well.

Currently, Connected Cuppas is open from 9-4 Tuesday-Friday, 9-7 on Wednesdays and 10-3 on Saturdays but Bright says she has a new idea she plans to test out.

“We're going to do a two week trial period of offering eggwiches in the morning which is egg and cheese on a toasted english muffin. We'll start opening at 8:30am starting November 20th and we'll do that for two weeks and see what reaction is and see if it's something people want.”

The shop gives locals plenty of options as Bright also partners with businesses in the area to create unique blends of tea.

“I also do custom tea blending for different businesses in town. It's a blend that is just theirs that we create together. We make up labels for them and then they can give them to customers or clients as a thank you and I'll also sell them at the shop. I do customized gift baskets for any occasion, they'll include different arts and crafts that my vendors have in here as well as tea and tea pots that I have for sale. If anyone would want to offer a class on something whether it be meal prep or how to make jewelry or how to knit, they can contact me and set up a time and it can be held here.”

Bright says she hopes everyone can find use of and enjoy what her shop has to offer.

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