When you think of the word apothecary, you may think about a place that makes medicine for your body. (The English majors in us always think about Romeo & Juliet.) When Sherry Waters thinks of the word “apothecary,” it conjures up images of a place that makes medicine — or in this case, tea — for your soul.

The Pauline Tea Bar Apothecary, located in West Charlotte’s historic Camp Greene community, is doing just that.

The tea bar was created as a place to heal your mind, relax your body, and rejuvenate your spirits. Before opening The Pauline, Waters was a Fund Development Director for a local nonprofit. That’s when Waters realized she had a passion for creating moments of spiritual care.

“Over the last several years, prior to opening The Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary in 2019, I found that I was offering spiritual care to donors and volunteers that I was serving in the nonprofit arena that I was working,” said Waters. “A one-year chaplain residency at Atrium allowed me to discover my gift of creating sacred space for respite and restorative calm.”

The discovery of her gift led to the opening of The Pauline.

Photo Credit: Michael Maxwell

At its simplest, The Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary is a place to get a cup of tea. But it’s more than that. It’s a space that encourages meditation, prayer and reflection.

Every first Friday of the month, the herbal tea lounge hosts live music and open mic poetry nights. They play host to a wide variety of holistic wellness workshops to assist spiritual healing. Workshops range from tai chi to group meditation to restorative yoga. And (our favorite part) the walls are covered in art created by local artists available for purchase.

When deciding on a name for the tea house, Waters wanted to choose one that honored her grandmothers, Pauline and Lena, who instilled the value of community in her.

“They exhibited all of these attributes by the way they welcomed community onto their front porches and living rooms for lively fellowship, conversation and tea,” recalled Waters. “They created safe and lovely spaces for conversation and for people to just be themselves.”

On what she wants visitors of The Pauline to experience, Waters has this to say: “Our core values say it best … gracious hospitality, restorative environment and a peaceful presence.”

Get a Cuppa’ at The Pauline

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Michael Maxwell