Tea Hugger owners Christina Caltagirone (pictured) and Amanda Waterhouse sell a wide variety of loose-leaf tea blends at the Market. Christina and Amanda have always enjoyed tea together, so about fifteen years ago, they decided to make a business out of what they loved. They initially sold their tea at festivals and other events until a friend recommended the Market to them. Christina and Amands had never heard of the Market before, but when they visited as customers for the first time, they immediately became interested in becoming vendors.

Christina and Amanda blend all of their tea in Christina’s home. They blend their tea through a process they describe as similar to a school science experiment: they make 3-4 batches of each blend and then taste them to see which mixture is the best one to sell. When developing new tea blends, Christina and Amanda often consider the interests of their regular customers. Because flavor is a top priority for their brand, they’re always eager to hear ideas for potential new blends with unique tastes. For Christina and Amanda, what makes the Market special are the meaningful interactions they have with customers every Saturday. They appreciate the opportunity to build personal connections with each patron who buys their tea.