Business & Tech

New Business Brings Tea, Frozen Yogurt , Fun to West Bloomfield

Leaf & Berry owners plan to make their new shop a destination for area families.

by Joni Hubred-Golden

The owners of a new West Bloomfield business say they want to bring more fun and entertainment to the community.

Ash Naik and Alaiah Chandrashekar, owners of Leaf & Berry Tea and Frozen Yogurt Lounge in Orchard Mall, met several years ago while working as information technology professionals. They initially wanted to open a frozen yogurt store, but realized they needed something else to make their business stand out.

“The comments we got from people was there’s not much to do in the evenings,” Naik said. “What’s really going to take us over the top is we’re going to put a stage in. We’ll have kids’ shows when school is out, open mic nights, comedy, music.”

Working with designer Deby Lebow of West Bloomfield-based Deby Lebow Design Associates, they created an open and relaxing design that includes comfortable seating and room for the stage near the door that opens into the mall.

“We just wanted to open it up so it was inviting from both ends,” Lebow said.

Naik said a wall of premium loose leaf tea containers showcases more than 40 varieties and gives customers the opportunity to have a “complete sensory experience”. Once they’ve chosen a tea, it will be fresh brewed for them in an elegant clear glass teapot, cup and saucer. 

Frozen yogurt fans can serve themselves from wall-mounted machines that dispense several flavors, then take their cups to a toppings bar with everything from fruit and chocolate chunks to jelly beans. Leaf & Berry also serves a variety of smoothies blended with fruit and veggies.

Chandrashekar said the support the partners have gotten since opening the shop has been an amazing and “very humbling experience”. He said their goal is to make Leaf & Berry “a community place” where people can lounge and take advantage of the free wi-fi.

Business consultant Paul Bensmann, who helped find the West Bloomfield location, pointed out that the partners have “put everything into the business”. He said they also will give back to the community, opening up the shop to groups that need a meeting place and hosting fundraisers that will turn over 60 percent of gross sales for a day to various charities:

  • Wednesday, May 29 Defeat the Label, a local organization that promotes a bully-free society without social labels and stereotypes.
  • Thursday, May 30 JARC, a non-sectarian organization that provides support to those with developmental disabilities.
Learn more by following Leaf & Berry on Facebook or visit leafnberry.com


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