Milwaukee's Near West Side just picked up a new hangout for serious tea drinkers and curious neighbors alike. Tootsie's, a small-batch loose-leaf tea shop owned by Lizz Tsosie Stachura, opened to the public last Friday at 2406 W. Clybourn St., bringing Navajo tea bundles and Indigenous art to a stretch of the neighborhood that has been steadily drawing more independent operators. Opening weekend saw crowds sampling blends, chatting with staff and asking about upcoming tastings as the shop positioned itself as both a retail storefront and a community gathering space for workshops and events.
Lease, Delays and the Soft Opening
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Stachura signed the lease back in January 2025, then spent roughly a year navigating construction headaches, including a city requirement to install two doors, which pushed back the timeline. After working through those issues, Tootsie's held a soft opening last Thursday, followed by its full public opening on Friday. Staff noted that a few accessories were missing from the shelves at the soft opening because of shipping delays, which Stachura expects to sort out in the coming weeks.
Owner and Mission
Stachura describes Tootsie's as Indigenous, Hispanic and woman-owned, and says the business is rooted in her family's long connection to disability services. "My mom has been in special education for 23 years and it's something that's really close to our hearts," she told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. That personal history shapes the shop's priorities, with community giving and accessibility woven into its plans from the start.
Menu, Sourcing and Giving
Per the Tootsie's website, the shop focuses on small-batch loose-leaf blends, Navajo tea bundles and Indigenous art. Ingredients are sourced from local farms, including Flush With Mush and Hundred Acre. The business outlines a giving model that donates 10% of its profits in tea and 5% in monetary contributions to nonprofits and community groups, and it has already highlighted support for organizations such as the Gerald Ignace Center for Indian Health. Beyond retail sales, Tootsie's plans to host workshops and tastings that center Indigenous tea traditions while also creating paid opportunities for people with disabilities.
What's Next for Tootsie's
Tootsie's expects to roll out its public events schedule in August, with initial tastings and workshops designed to blend education with fundraising. For the latest on hours, events and pop-ups, the shop shares updates on Instagram at @tootsies.tea, and additional details are posted on the business's website.
