RICHMOND, Va. -- A small space in Richmond's Jackson Ward neighborhood is hoping to do big things in the community this new year.
The Lovee Lounge, a new herbal tea shop and wellness center that opened its doors on January 1, is hoping to ring in the new year with a focus on health and well-being.
Brandon Lovee, the founder of the Lovee Lounge situated on the corner of Clay Street and Brook Road, sings and dances every time he brews a new batch of herbal teas.
"I'm just in there whipping it up, you know? Gotta put the love in there. Gotta put the love in there," he said as he waited for a kettle to heat Sunday afternoon.
The word "love" takes a new meaning at the lounge, as the space is purposed as a place of peace for children and families living in Richmond.
"We have kids from Hillside that come in, who go to school right across the street and come in and do meditation for the first time. We had one kid who didn't know that the tea came hot. So it was their first time experiencing hot, herbal tea."
Every weekday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., Lovee said dozens of kids come to try hand-wrapped herbal teas for anxiety or stress.
The space also offers yoga classes, a photo booth, and a meditation space.
"They're going into their day writing, 'Who am I as a person? How do I feel today?' before they go in and start their day. So even the idea of giving these students an opportunity to work and serve their community themselves, before they go out and start their day? It's groundbreaking," Lovee said.
It's a "pay what you can" kind of service since Lovee has personal ties to the area.
"My grandmother, she had her time in Gilpin Court. My mother, she used to walk barefoot in Gilpin Court. My family is deeply rooted to this neighborhood, and I'm just doing my job and my duty to bridge the gaps that labels create, from Southside to Jackson Ward," he said.
This new year, Lovee said he hopes the new spot will create a new narrative for this neighborhood.
"There's a lot of gun violence, but if we can not focus on the gun violence and focus on the solution. The solution is wellness. The solution is tapping into the trauma, the pain that's going on here, and really allowing our light to shine. Allowing us to be a lighthouse, a beacon of light for those who need it."
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