Meet Your Merchant - T at the General Store
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| t at the General Store - Royal Oak |
Business: T at the General Store
Location: 25942 Royal Oak Rd
Website info: www.tatthegeneralstore.com
Phone number: 410-745-8402
Hours of operation:
Tuesday-Thursday 5p-8p
Friday 5p-9p
Saturday 11a-3p & 5p-9p
Sunday 11a-3p
Who are the owners?
James Gordon & Paul Turczynski
How and why you started your business?
Explored the option of opening a tea shop in St. Michaels to take advantage of the fact that Talbot County was lacking an establishment that provided fresh, loose leaf tea. This idea blossomed into opening a full restaurant that would provide a dining experience that was similar to that of a DC area restaurant while providing fresh, local ingredients.
What do you sell/make/do?
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| Fresh Tea |
We sell fresh, loose leaf teas. We have several different blends that we brew in house (hot or iced), sell in our retail area and online at www.thealthandenergy.com, and also utilize the tea as an ingredient in several dishes. We also offer a healthy, farm to table brunch and dinner menu. Catering is also a big aspect of our business now as we can create a made-to-suit menu for any parties/weddings/events/etc.
Where is your business located and why did you chose your location?
T at the General Store is located at 25942 Royal Oak Rd,
Easton, MD 21601. This is the old Royal
Oak General Store at the T-intersection of Royal Oak Rd. and Bellevue Rd. We selected this location because of its
history in the community, it’s centrally located between Easton and St.
Michaels, and it provides the community of Royal Oak an easy option for dinner
and weekend brunch instead of driving all the way into St. Michaels or Easton.
What strategies do you use to draw people to your establishment?
Word of mouth has been a huge factor in our growth since opening in August. As more people from the community experience what we have to offer they have been telling people to check us out or bringing them in themselves. The support from the community has been extraordinary. We have also made an effort to create a social media presence and advertise in the local media.
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| Big Daddy James Bloody Mary |
What strategies do you use to draw people to your establishment?
Word of mouth has been a huge factor in our growth since opening in August. As more people from the community experience what we have to offer they have been telling people to check us out or bringing them in themselves. The support from the community has been extraordinary. We have also made an effort to create a social media presence and advertise in the local media.
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| Handmade pastas |
What is your strategies for growth in the next year?
We will be focusing on our catering business over the next year to help bolster the business. We will also continue to advertise in the local community and provide our regulars with special options during certain nights of the week. For example, our “Locals’ Special” is for Tuesday-Thursday and provides a delicious entrée for $16.
What is the best thing about running a business here?
The support we have seen from Talbot County is the best part of running a business here. While the area may seem like a larger town, it still has the small town feel and our customers have become regulars and they have also encouraged their friends and family to come by and see us as well. There aren’t many communities like Talbot County and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
