We recently had the chance to connect with Colleen Vucinovich and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Colleen, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: When have you felt most loved—and did you believe you deserved it?
I feel most loved when someone I care about does something kind and considerate for me, and yes, I deserve kindness and consideration.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I opened a small tea salon a year ago. My vision was to create space for conversation and community. A beautiful place filled with joy and tea. I wanted to honor St. Louis’s French roots as well as our own tea customs and cuisine so we serve a premium Parisian tea brand to accompany our regional high tea options.
Our food is made from scratch, with homestyle fillings for tea sandwiches and canapés, traditional tea scones, tiny teacakes, and gourmet chocolate mousse. The botanical notes in our tea collection inspire our cake and cookie flavors – rose, lavender, and citrus blossom.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Now that my children are adults, forging their own paths, I am releasing my strong maternal instincts in favor of forming relationships with grown-ups who share a common frame of reference with me. It is liberating and rewarding to have this kind of kinship with one’s adult “children”. There is much to discover and learn from each other, and I’m loving this new chapter.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
We are fortunate to have a tea salon in the perfect spot in Tower Grove South, but I nearly gave up owning a tea salon!
My applications for finance on two different locations were declined. I reworked my business plan three times to try to make it happen. Eventually, I let it go and made peace with not having a tea salon. Instead, I looked for a small facility to produce our house specialty – chocolate mousse. Once I got out of the way, everything unfolded beautifully, and we landed in a great location with a large commercial kitchen that is perfect for making small batches of chocolate mousse as well as the ideal space for an elegant dining room. We ultimately funded the venture with our personal savings, rather than a loan.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
I think modesty is underrated as a cultural value, and I protect it fiercely. I see modesty as a facet of self-respect. We reveal so much in the way we dress, speak, and act. It seems fashionable to bare all, but there is merit in being modest.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
If I laid down my name, role, and possessions, my essence would be untouched. Those qualities that make me who I am are neither enhanced nor diminished by status—warmth, kindness, honesty, creativity, compassion, humor, all active and untarnished.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tearoomstlouis.com
- Instagram: @tearoomstlouis
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenvucinovich/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567539242346#
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fleur-de-th%C3%A9-saint-louis?osq=Tea+Rooms
