Community support for local businesses is crucial for commerce success in a small town. Supporting local businesses is a community and economic development strategy that keeps dollars’ spent local and encourages downtown revitalization and growth. This is especially important in small town communities with an up-and-coming downtown area. Family & Consumer Sciences with the Harrison County Cooperative Extension Services has an annual tea party, which has occurred for 2022 and 2023, in an effect to promote local support of businesses. This creative event of a tea party partners with local businesses to showcase community entrepreneurs. 

The first tea party of 2022 was held at a local event venue, Ashford Acres. Here, the facilities and savory sweets were provided. Cymply Cynful Nutrition provided the teas for the party, which is another locally owned business for the small town. The second tea party of 2023 was held at another local even venue, The Prizing House. Local business, Melinda’s Boutique, collaborated with the program by providing the teas from the store as well as the entertainment which comprised of a fashion show featuring apparel that can be purchased from the store. Both tea parties provided a unique setting that allows participants to enjoy a special event which directly supports additional locally owned businesses.

Surveys were distributed to tea party participants. One hundred percent of responses indicated they liked are really liked the tea parties and event venues. Moreover, 100% of participants indicated they liked or strongly liked the teas sampled at each party. From the second annual tea party, surveys asked if participants had ever been to the Prizing House and Melinda’s Boutique. Seventy-one percent of responses had never shopped at Melinda’s Boutique and forty-four percent had never been in the Prizing House. This tea party exposed those participants to something new. A follow-up survey will be sent to participants from the 2023 tea party for further data on whether their experiences with the tea party encouraged them to become customers with the local business. 

Additional results have been collected from the first tea party held in 2022. One question asked was, have you visited Cymply Cynful Nutrition for bubble teas or other products because of the FCS Tea Party in June 2022? Eight of the 21 respondents answered yes. Six of the respondents who answered no indicated on the following question that they wanted to visit Cymply Cynful Nutrition because of the June 2022 FCS Tea Party. Twenty-four percent of survey participants said they had participated in another event or meal at Ashford Acres because of attending the FCS Tea Party in June 2022. Sixteen individuals marked no to participation with additional Ashford Acres events but 11 of those said they wanted to attend other events at Ashford Acres because of their participation with the FCS Tea Party in June 2022.

A follow-up interview was conducted with a manager of Cymply Cynful Nutrition. The business manager said they received positive feedback after the 2022 tea party and gained at least three new customers because of exposure to the tea party participants. When asked if she felt the opportunity to collaborate in a community event was good for the business, her response was, “I loved the collaboration. I always think it is a great idea to work with others in our community to introduce and explore opportunities or services. I feel most tea party attendees had never heard or tried our products. It was exciting to share with them and listen to their experience sampling our teas. I love our teas, but it is fun to hear and witness people try them for the first time” (Lemons, 2023). 

Another interview question asked if the Cymply Cynful Nutrition business manager felt like participation in the tea party led to additional partnerships with the Extension Office or other community events. The manager’s response was the tea party opportunity led to collaboration with 4-H and Chamber young entrepreneur program. “Youth in our community got to experience our products and create new teas and names. The event was a huge success!” (Lemons, 2023).   

The same follow-up interview questions were conducted with the director of the June 2022 Tea Party event venue, Ashford Acres. When asked if they had gained new customers because of the tea party, the manager stated, “We did. Some of the attendees of the tea have also reserved a table for our weekly dinners and attended other events on site such as Christmas on the Farm, our Fall to Table dinner, and other public events we host throughout the year” (Chambers, 2023). When asked if Ashford Acres staff felt that collaboration with a community event was good for their business, the director replied, “Yes! The tea party attendees learned what Ashford Acres consists of and many were very interested in the weekly dinners we host for the public.” The next question prompted more detail on additional collaborations that resulted because of the tea party. The Ashford Acres director responded saying, “partnering with the Harrison County Extension Office has helped build and strengthen our relationship with the community and has allowed us the opportunity to host other events for the city such as meetings and dinners” (Chambers, 2023).