Eau Claire’s Black Kettle Tea & Bootique features more than 17 varieties

Sue Grossardt

Contributor

September 29, 2025

EAU CLAIRE – Brin Vodvarka – owner and herbalist of Black Kettle Tea & Bootique (217 Barstow St.) in downtown Eau Claire – said her journey to business ownership began by making her own tea blends at home. 

Initially making teas for friends, Vodvarka said they often questioned why she wasn’t offering her blends on a broader scale. 

“So, I started selling different varieties of teas at farmers’ markets in the area for about two years, and then things just blossomed into opening the shop,” she said. 

As her tea blends gained popularity, Vodvarka said the reason for opening a storefront was pretty straightforward.

“I wanted the store to be a space where I would want to hang out or people like me [would want to spend time],” she said. “I didn’t want to be like every other tea shop.”

Creating a retail space that also serves as a personal haven is rare – but Vodvarka said that’s exactly what she did. 

“I wanted to build a place where I would feel comfortable,” she said. “I wanted to create a place where I wanted to be during the day, every day.”

The store will celebrate its third year this November – a milestone Vodvarka said reflects steady growth and community support.

As the business evolves, she said the balance between in-store and online sales often shifts with the seasons, with online purchases continuing to grow.

“We [process] quite a bit of online [orders] – with a peak during the fall and winter months to include holiday times,” she said.

And though the brick-and-mortar store now anchors the business, Vodvarka said Black Kettle Tea continues to engage with customers each Saturday at the Eau Claire farmers’ market.

Why tea? 

Vodvarka said her choice to focus on tea was a personal one – she simply enjoys it.

Beyond that, she said tea is trending, with consumer interest on the rise due to its many health benefits – including antioxidants, support for weight and stress management and digestive properties, such as probiotics.

Beyond a general curiosity about tea, Vodvarka said customers often visit the store with specific wellness goals in mind – such as getting better sleep, managing stress or finding something with anti-inflammatory benefits.

“I had someone come in [recently] talking about memory loss issues [and looking for a tea that may help],” she said. “Others are looking for ways to help with digestion issues. These teas can either precede a meal or accompany a meal.”

To further her tea knowledge, Vodvarka said she completed specific coursework and earned her herbalist certification.  

“An herbalist is defined as someone who practices the study and use of plants for health and healing,” she said. “Put simply, herbalism is the study of herbs and how they react to the human body in a medicinal and natural way.”

Awakening the senses

As an alchemist and an herbalist, Vodvarka said her goal is to create tea blends that are more than just a drink, but rather deliver a full sensory experience.

According to blackkettletea.com, customers experience tea in a whole new way at Black Kettle Tea – stepping into a world where tea meets the supernatural. 

Each blend is a spellbinding fusion of flavors, which Vodvarka said are crafted to awaken one’s senses and thrill their taste buds.

“[I] weave dark, aromatic herbs with an artful balance of exotic and comforting ingredients,” she said.

Black Kettle Tea offers a popular blend designed to support sleep health, another that promotes mental clarity and more than 17 other varieties. 

Vodvarka said her affection for Halloween shines through in the playful names she gives her seasonal teas – which include Hocus Pocus Time to Focus, Immunity Potion, Resting Witch Face, Spooky Spice Chai and Witching Hour Bath Tea.

Alongside the Halloween-inspired teas, Vodvarka said Black Kettle Tea offers other blends with equally creative names, including:

• Love Potion No. 9
• When Life Gives You Lemons
• Snooze Cruise
• Peel the Power
• The Cure
• Yerba Mate
• Chill Out
• Flower Power
• Drinking Buddy
• Full Moon
• Hint of Mint 

Vodvarka said every package is labeled with its intended benefit, and all teas are available for online purchase.
“Our tea blends begin with the finest, locally sourced herbs, harvested with care and a touch of mystery from nearby fields and forests,” she said.

A ghoulish place to hang 

Vodvarka said the store embraces the Halloween spirit with a variety of special events, including its recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre gathering.

Continuing the Halloween festivities, she said, is this month’s Vampire Ball, which will offer “blood bag beverages” for early attendees, a selection of mocktails and a DJ spinning haunting tunes.

Dream big, work hard

Like many small business owners, managing daily demands solo – especially keeping up with the busy season – Vodvarka said, is challenging, especially with the shop open six days a week.

However, she said she keeps her eyes focused on the future and has exciting plans for the business moving forward. 

“We plan to expand distribution into more retail stores along with boosting our wholesale business,” she said. “We’re [also] planning on hosting a Halloween market in October in conjunction with other stores.”

Reflecting on her own experience, Vodvarka said she encourages anyone with a dream to take the leap into business ownership. 

“You can do anything you want [if you put your mind to it],” she said. “There’s a market for everything, and if you’re passionate about something, you can make it work.”

For more information, visit the Black Kettle Tea & Bootique website or find the shop on Facebook.