For the past three years, Cup & Kettle Tea Company, now a warehouse located at 1331 W. 11th St., has undergone construction projects, collapsed ceilings, business closures and a transformation that shifted the business towards tea production.
The reimagined store is no longer a cafe and is instead a manufacturing facility selling a wide range of unique signature tea blends, tea collections and personalized teas.
Then-co-owners Jessica Messmer and Kayla Maldonado opened Cup & Kettle in 2017 at 208 N. Walnut St. Their menu consisted of tea, food and a place for students to stop by for a conversation, a snack or just a quiet afternoon.
According to an email sent by the company to the Indiana Daily Student, Messmer took over full ownership of the place in 2020.
In 2023, the B Square Bulletin reported construction at next-door Princess Theater meant customers couldn’t see the storefront, with Messmer telling the Herald-Times it caused financial difficulties.
After the project was completed in October 2025, Messmer told the B Square Bulletin that things were looking optimistic until disaster struck again.
“Five days before Christmas, our ceiling collapsed. It really was the last straw,” Messmer said in an interview with the IDS.
A bathroom on the second floor broke in December 2025, causing the entire store to flood just months after business was improving.
While the store was being repaired, Adam Nahas said he reached out to Messmer through a post she had made on Facebook.
“When I saw Jessica's post about her losing her business, I thought maybe I could help out in some small way,” Nahas said. “The more that we talked, the more we found out we were aligned as business owners.”
With Messmer having over a decade’s experience running a tea shop and Nahas having expertise in sales and business operations, it became clear to her that the two had to work together to help rebuild Cup & Kettle.
“We decided to switch gears with more of a focus on production and wholesale retail,” Messmer said.
In addition to their menu, Messmer and Nahas said they have plans to grow their customer base through a redesigned website, new product lines and ongoing partnerships.
“We’re working with the College Mall to develop a retail space that maybe we could turn into a café, but initially it’s just going to be a place where people can come and pick up teas,” Nahas said.
Another goal for the new location is to sell tea-infused colognes and perfumes to encourage students to become customers.
“We’re wanting to do a blend society for the website where people can rate and try out each other’s blends,” Messmer said.
Messmer’s goal for these new products is to attract new customers to the business to keep the culture Cup & Kettle had before the closures.
Nahas said maintaining business relationships has been key in the rebuilding process with the numerous partnerships the company is in talks with.
Cup & Kettle partnered with IU Hilltop Garden and Nature Center where Messmer said they’re offering classes on “different kinds of tea blends and different gardening techniques to grow your own teas.”
Nahas said Cup & Kettle also has upcoming pop-ups planned, including a tea blending class with the Monroe County Public Library and more events hosted at Heartwork Brewing.
Lola Faggiani, a sophomore at Indiana University and former Cup & Kettle employee, said the work experience was very “homely and friendly.” She also said she has hopes for the new store.
“Because of the community of the café, there will still be success with the warehouse,” Faggiani said. “A lot of the business appeal was that the atmosphere was good, and it felt more like a community than a business.”
Messmer and Nahas said they plan on continuing to educate and unite the Bloomington community through their community events, educational resources and signature tea blends.
“We want to make sure we’re telling people’s story, and for that having a relationship is very important.” Messmer said. “We’re hoping this message gets out there enough for people to reach out and create that relationship with us.”
