Wayne Ashford was born in Mississippi and grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, watching his mother brew old-school sun tea: a huge mason jar, a hundred or so tea bags, hours in the hot sun, and four or five pounds of sugar. To a kid, that was the best thing there was. In time he discovered loose teas: where they originate, how they are grown, their health benefits, and the different ways to brew.
Tea stayed a passion through the U.S. Army, travel abroad, college, and the corporate sector. As VP of operations at several startups he learned entrepreneurship and saved enough to launch an online tea store, offering samples at health food stores and city markets, then opening Tea’s Me Café in Indianapolis. He ran it successfully for more than twenty years.
The move south came with a change of scenery and a better quality of life in mind. The Ashford Tea Company is his boutique tea shop in downtown Savannah, with in-store tastings, free consultations, and talks on the origins and health benefits of tea. Now 61, a tea sommelier and motivational speaker, he is in the best shape of his life: yoga, meditation, strength training, running. He attributes his good health and positive mindset to drinking tea.
