The Leader • Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 • Page 1B
Teahouse to open at Ella Oaks by December By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Sean Shi and wife Kasey Chen have been franchise owners of the Teahouse, Tapioca & Tea in Bellaire for almost three years. Now they have signed a lease to open their second location at the Ella Oaks Center at Ella Boulevard and West 34th Street, in the space recently occupied by Branché Boutique. According to the corporate website, the United States’ first Teahouse location opened inside Houston’s Hong Kong City Mall in April 2000. It was the first traditional Taiwanese cream teahouse in the Houston area. Now there are almost 20 in Houston and the surrounding area, including one in the Heights on Yale Street. Shi said the couple had been looking for a location in the Oak Forest/Garden Oaks area
for more a year. Their needs were specific. At the Bellaire location, they get a lot of afterschool foot traffic from Bellaire High School and Shi is hoping for the same student business from Waltrip High School. “There’s a line of students (after Bellaire gets out),” Shi said, noting the free Wi-Fi attracts kids with their laptops to do homework or meet with a study group. The Teahouse menu runs the gamut, with tea, coffee, smoothies and slushies as well as finger foods like sweet potato fries, popcorn chicken and fried egg rolls. Chen said their younger customers like the smoothies. The Mangonada, a spicy Mango slushy, is a current favorite. Shi said they use their own tea manufacturer from Taiwan and use a tea press to blend and prepare the tea.
Contributed photo Sean Shi, left, and wife Kasey Chen plan to open the Teahouse in the Ella Oaks shopping center by December.
Customers can customize their drinks with several different sugar options, or none. They can also choose a “sinker” to be added to a beverage for extra flavor. Sinkers range from aloe vera to ice cream. Shi and Chen said their ingredients are natural and all fresh. While the Bellaire location is 1,000 square feet, the new location is a little bit smaller at 1,000 square feet. Shi said they aim to open by December but need to build a kitchen first. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bellaire location is only open for takeout and delivery, for the safety of guests and employees. Shi said their grand opening in Oak Forest will have a number of specials and promotions. There is a Teahouse loyalty program for frequent customers. The couple commutes from Sugar Land, and another rea-
son for selecting their new location was that it would be easy to get to from Bellaire. Shi is from China and Chen is Taiwanese. They met in the U.S. and married 20 years ago. According to Shi, they complement each other in their business. “She is the heart, (and) I am the soul,” he said, explaining that Chen is in charge of everything inside of the store while he does maintenance, bookkeeping and other administrative duties. “We have been talking to the Teahouse for years about having a presence on the corner of Ella and 34th,” said Monica Danna of Revive, the developer that owns and operates the shopping center. “Once an opportunity opened up they were the first operator we called. We feel they will be a great mix to the Ella Oaks center.”
Business Briefs: Covington joins The Craig Group By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Of all the decisions to be made when planning your estate, there are two big mistakes to avoid — failing to plan and failing to update your plan. For those who have previously planned, the good news is that you haven’t needed your plan yet. That said, you can’t completely set it and forget it. There are certain events that should prompt a review of the decisions previously made. 1. Law Changes Whenever there is a change in the law, whether it relates to taxes, powers of attorney, or medical directives, it’s worth ensuring that the change will not affect your current situation. 2. Life Circumstance Changes As life goes on, the objects of your affection may also grow and change. Perhaps you’ve had additional children or grandchildren. Maybe you have new in-laws, or have recently experienced a divorce or the death of a loved one. It’s also possible that you’ve become more charitably inclined. Whatever the change, it’s important to make sure your choices reflect exactly who you want included, and excluded, as appropriate. 3. Moving to Another State The laws governing estates are state-specific, not federal, so it’s important to ensure that the plan you have remains valid, and has been updated if necessary. 4. Asset or Liability Changes Have you have acquired a new asset, such as a home or business, or sold something since last executing an estate plan? If so, it’s important to consider how any new holdings or liabilities may affect who you want to receive your estate and how they will receive it. 5. Beneficiary Designations Become Outdated A common misconception is that your will or living trust will direct where your entire estate goes, but such is not the case. Contractual-based assets such as retirement accounts, life insurance policies and annuities pass according to the person listed on your beneficiary designation forms. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that those designations are current. Moreover, if you’ve included any minors as primary or contingent beneficiaries, make sure your plan is set up so that they will receive their inheritance in the appropriate manner since minors cannot legally own any assets. 6. Executors or Trustees Become Inappropriate Even when you’ve previously carefully
Jennifer Solak provides legal advice for families and businesses and may be contacted at jennifer@solaklegal.com or 713-588-5744.
WEBINAR DETAILS: Title: Wine & Wills Cost - Free Date - Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 Time - 4:30 p.m. Can’t make it? - All registrants receive a replay To Register - Email Jennifer@ solaklegal.com considered who will serve in these important positions, it’s time to reflect on whether those choices still make sense. Have children grown up and are now capable to serve in these more critical roles in your estate plan? Perhaps the people you chose have since aged, moved, or passed away and can no longer assume the role they once could. Determine who in your life is the best choice for these positions today. To learn more about how estate planning may help your family, please join Solak Legal’s next FREE online event, Wine & Wills, on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 4:30 p.m. A replay will be provided to all registered participants. Email Jennifer@solaklegal.com to register. The information in this column, which was sponsored by Solak Legal as part of The Leader Expert Series, is intended to provide a general understanding of the law and not legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances. Jennifer Solak provides legal advice for families and businesses and may be contacted at jennifer@solaklegal.com or 713-588-5744.
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Local coffee business gives back The Patriot Knife project started with veteran Chris McLean working out of his garage building presentation knives that he donated, first to veteran and first-responder organizations for fundraising and later other causes, to auction for fundraisers. Now McLean has started a coffee business, which he hopes will also help those in need. “Right now many organizations have had to cancel their gatherings and fundraisers due to the pandemic and they’re hurting,” McLean said. “It doesn’t matter how many presentation knives I build, because they aren’t having auctions to sell them.” Last October, the idea started as a way to honor McLean’s
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Houston Restaurant Week extended through September Houston Restaurant Weeks announced Monday that the event has been extended through the end of September.
It was originally scheduled to end this upcoming Monday, Sept. 7. “I am humbled and in awe of what has happened for restaurants here in Houston this past month,” organizer Katie Stone said in a news release. “HRW came this year at a time that could not have been more
p l a c e
at KPMG and Fulbright & Jaworski.
1423 Tulane, $1.8 Mil. Amanda Anhorn, 713.256.5123
a
middle-market private equity fund, and at an industry-leading investment bank. Her background includes leading the marketing function at Doggett Industries, The CapStreet Group, and Simmons & Company. Earlier in her career, Covington held marketing management roles
Contributed photo Local resident Chris McLean is selling different coffee blends to support different organizations.
P R O P E R T I E S
Contributed photo Libby Covington recently joined The Craig Group as a partner.
GREENWOOD KING
Shepherd Park Plaza’s Libby Covington recently joined The Craig Group as a partner. The Craig Group is a digital marketing agency with a focus on return on investment and revenue generation from paid media. The firm offers executive insight to companies and agencies by serving as the outsourced media strategy and execution solution, shaping innovative and accountable marketing plans. Covington has more than 25 years of experience in strategic marketing and business development. She has spent most of her career in building and implementing strategies to drive revenue growth in businesses. She led the formation and development of the marketing function in a $1.5 billion dealership group, at a
crucial, and I am so inspired and so grateful to be able to continue my mother’s cause of feeding families in Houston.” Stone’s late mother, Cleverley Stone, founded Houston Restaurant Weeks 17 years ago. According to the release, the decision came in response to the “positive economic impact” the fundraising event has had on restaurants hard hit by COVID-19. The motto for this year is “Take Out and Do Good” instead of “Dine Out and Do Good.” Each meal purchased will result in $1 being donated to the Houston Food Bank. This amount is smaller than in previous years, but Houston Restaurants Works said it gives more restaurants the opportunity to participate and gives much-needed support to them, too.
816 Yale #D, $540s Jason Knebel, 713.232.9712
6007 Pineshade, $520s Kristin Tillman, 281.785.3566
1710 W. 15th, $440s Dena Musfy, 281.935.6993
See Business Briefs, P. 2B