Conversations with Old Barrel Tea Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Old Barrel Tea Company. 

Hi Old Barrel Tea Company, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Old Barrel Tea Co was established in the mountain town of Ruidoso, NM in 2015. We are a family-owned business and the matriarch of our tea family is a three-time cancer survivor, so our business mission is to share a wellness-oriented lifestyle in the communities we’re in. We blend our own loose-leaf tea in Albuquerque, NM and produce a variety of wellness products including honey, essential oils and herbs, and spices. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Most of my work is done remotely so one of my main challenges is staying socially and physically active during my workday: I know both are super important for our health. I take advantage of any opportunity to get out of the house and see trips to the post office or bank as exciting outings, opt for hiking meetings with my team members, and walk or ride my bike instead of driving as often as I can. -Bailey 

The toughest thing for the store in Durango has been keeping everything consistent, despite all of the odd supply shortages. However, we have an incredibly creative and fun team here and they always impress me in finding ways to use what we have to keep the customers happy. – Bret 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I graduated from UNM with a degree in Sign Language Interpreting and moved back to my hometown or Ruidoso, NM. I soon found out no one needed my services in my little community and sort of panicked! After waiting around for about 8 months I decided to change course and open a little loose leaf tea business. I launched Old Barrel Tea Co on Valentine’s Day weekend of 2015 and started working as an interpreter that same week. I quickly realized I couldn’t do it all alone and recruited the women in my family, my mom, and two sister-in-laws, to join the business. Since they joined the tea shop has expanded rapidly. We now have five locations in New Mexico, one in Arizona, and two in Colorado with a third coming in 2022! 

I still run an interpreting agency servicing rural districts in New Mexico in need of service, because I soon realized I wasn’t crazy to move home to work as an interpreter: there is a need for sign language interpreters in K-12 education in my part of the state. My focus now is helping to place interpreters with districts in need, providing accommodations so they don’t need to move for often temporary jobs, and connecting them with mentorship opportunities so they can become certified and continue to service New Mexican Deaf students for many more years. 

On the tea shop front, I oversee our marketing department and online store at oldbarreltea.com. – Bailey 

Hello, I am the manager of the Durango location for Old Barrel Tea Company. I have worked here for over three years and am loving it. I get a lot of freedom in my job and that means the world to me. The fact that I get to drink tea and talk to kind people for a job is really something special. – Bret 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was only 26 years old and again when she was 28. She has a genetic mutation, known in the medical community as BRCA1, which made her more susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer. The doctors warned her that the treatments (the radiation and chemo) that saved her life in her twenties might cause a blood disorder down the road. When she was 45, she was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic syndrome, also known as pre-leukemia. She survived again. When I was growing up with my two big brothers my mom was adamant about teaching us to live preventatively, so we never had to go through what she went through. When I was 18 years old my mom took me to the doctor to get genetic testing and we found out that I have the same genetic mutation she has, BRCA1. Along with regular checkups, I strive to live well in the way my mom suggests: sleep when you’re tired, eat lots of fruits and veggies, indulge in antioxidants, exercise regularly, practice moderation, and, most importantly, live joyfully and don’t stress! This lifestyle, that my mom prescribed, is the inspiration behind our family tea business and what we intend to share in the communities we’re in. – Bailey 

Hello, I am Bret. I grew up just west of Denver in the burbs. I was introduced to tea at an early age by my neighbor, and I don’t mean bagged tea… It was tea he had shipped to his house directly from China; I found that fascinating. After that, I went and got my bachelor’s degree in Geology in Durango, CO at Fort Lewis College. Throughout this time my love for tea flourished, did many projects working with tea, growing it (poorly), and expanding my knowledge of it first and foremost. 

Once I graduated, I was walking downtown and saw a tea shop was going to be opening in the next couple of weeks. After coming in and nearly forcing them to consider hiring me 3 times they caved. I have been there since and now am managing the store. It has been amazing working with something I am passionate about and more importantly for people who believe in the message and support me through and through. – Bret 

Contact Info:

• Website: oldbarreltea.com
• Instagram: oldbarrelteaco

Image Credits
Paola
Nenada
Dana
Bailey