By Amber Angove-For the North Star Reporter
Longtime friends Jewels Curreri and Dawn Haynes have known each other since high school.
Now, decades later, the two are beginning a new chapter as business partners, with the goal of creating a space to breathe, connect and “just be.”
Curreri and Haynes are the co-owners of Tea For Two and Healing Too, a new North Attleborough tea house designed to offer more than a pot of tea. Through traditional tea services, workshops, and intuitive offerings, the pair hope to create a space where visitors can slow down, connect and feel at home.
“We just want people to feel loved when they come, and feel like they’re cared about,” Curreri said. “Just a time to exhale.”
The idea of opening a tea room had been in Curreri’s mind long before she and Haynes began transforming the space. The concept dates back years, to when Curreri organized a 50th birthday tea for her mother-in-law, although tea already held a special place in their relationship.
“I used to always have tea with my mother-in-law. And it was just a special time,” Curreri said. “We would connect. We would have meaningful conversations. And it felt very healing to connect with my mother-in-law.”
The birthday celebration brought those memories together and planted the seed for something Curreri hoped to create herself. Years later, with Haynes by her side, that idea has taken shape as Tea for Two.
Haynes brings her own creative background to the partnership. Before becoming a school teacher, she worked as a florist for 10 years. Her handiwork can be seen throughout the tea house, including floral arrangements suspended from the ceiling.
The pair did their homework before settling on what they wanted their own tea house to become, traveling to tea rooms and tea houses — as far away as Florida — and taking inspiration from the different experiences they had.
“We wanted a place of peace,” they said. “Just come, let go. And sometimes there’s nothing to do but just be, right? Just come and be.”
That philosophy is reflected throughout the tea house, where each room has its own character. Vintage and old-world touches are mixed with garden and boho influences to create spaces that feel distinct while maintaining the intimate atmosphere Curreri and Haynes envisioned.
Much of the décor also has a personal connection. Oil paintings by Curreri’s mother, Corinne, hang throughout the space and helped inspire its aesthetic. Curreri called their inclusion a tribute to her mother, who has painted portraits throughout her life.
Even as they worked to make the surroundings visually distinctive, Curreri and Haynes said they did not want the tea house to feel intimidating.
“Small and charming. Approachable. Cozy,” Curreri said. “The approachable part is definitely an important part. We just want people to feel comfortable. Relaxed.”
That same approach is carried over to the tea menu.
After encountering everything from tea houses where guests were given a single selection to others with pages of choices, Jewels Curreri and Haynes decided to begin with eight varieties — three black teas, three herbal teas, one green tea and one oolong.
Tea service, however, is only one side of the new business.
The “Healing Too” portion draws partly from Curreri’s background. She previously operated a yoga studio and works as a therapist and yoga therapist. She has also practiced intuitive work for approximately 20 years.
She plans to offer intuitive classes and private readings at the tea house, while additional workshops will give visitors opportunities to try everything from hand knitting and tea blending to making scrubs and bath bombs.
Ultimately, the pair hope people will come for more than what is poured into their cups. Whether visitors attend a workshop, share tea with someone close to them or simply spend an afternoon away from the demands of everyday life, they want the tea house to offer something Curreri discovered years ago through those conversations over tea with her mother-in-law: a chance to connect.
The business is located at 126 Chestnut St. For more information, visit teafortwoandhealingtoo.com.