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Wilmington Tea Room Up for Sale PDF Print E-mail
Written by Lisa Layman   
tearoom
Wilmington Tea Room up for Sale –
Wilmington loses another Female Restaurateur to the Extreme Demands.
Current owner Alexis Wall has announced that the Wilmington Tea Room is up for sale. Wall purchased the downtown location in May of 2008 from Susan Tyson and continued her vision in creating a unique destination serving exotic teas and specialized gourmet fare.




The River walk location resonates an ambiance reminiscent of sophistication and beloved childhood tea parties. It is a very special and unique place with one of the finest locations in town – the Riverwalk. With fine china cups, crystal chandeliers, a baby grand piano and outdoor seating, the location is a true local gem. Over the past 18 months, Wall has catered to bridal parties, mother-daughter tea times, local gatherings, tourists and celebrities such as Kate Gosslin and her girls.
Alexis Wall’s decision to sell is very similar to that of Susan Tyson before her. Tyson sold the location 18 months prior due to the demands of her personal life. She stated that having two small children and a husband with a demanding dental practice prevented her from truly giving 100% of her time to the Tea Room.
According to Wall, “It's been an awesome 18 months and I absolutely love it, but I am needed at home and can no longer balance those needs with the demands of running a restaurant.” With a city that has few female restaurateurs, it is not uncommon for the family dynamic and extreme demands of the restaurant business to cause severe limitations on female restaurateurs career aspirations. In Wall’s case, she has a limited family support system in Wilmington making the balance of ownership and family very difficult. Other successful women restaurateurs in the area have stated that having the support and systems in place make all the difference.  Ellen Mansfield, owner of Double Happiness knows all too well that success for her has been to incorporate her children into the business. Although her children were older when she opened the restaurant, they play an active role in the daily operations. Similarly, Erin Musser who co-owns and operates Captain Bill’s Backyard Grill Volleyball and Catering facility, had her two toddlers, now both grown, incorporated into the original business plan. She and husband John Musser have run the business since inception as a “family” operation, “always considering the needs of the kids and working as a team to accommodate everyone,” stated Erin Musser. Mei Ling Chau is another great example of a mother and successful restaurateur. As a single mother with small children, she commuted from Raleigh to Wilmington, relying on her sister to help with caring for her children so that she could establish herself in Wilmington and open Hiro’s Japanese Steakhouse. According to Chau, “Every moment that I wasn’t at the restaurant, I was with my kids. They have supported me and having the additional family support made it all possible.” Chau currently owns Hiro’s and the Midtown Seafood.  It is very possible to reach the balance between the demands of family and restaurant ownership but, it is uniquely challenging for female restaurant owners. For those who find the balance, the love of the industry proves as it’s own reward. 

 
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