Indigenous-owned Tootsie’s Tea prepares to open Milwaukee storefront
Founder Lizz Tsosie-Stachura says the tea company expects to open a brick-and-mortar shop west of downtown Milwaukee in spring 2026
Tootsie’s Tea, an Indigenous-owned tea company founded by Lizz Tsosie-Stachura, is preparing to open a brick-and-mortar storefront just west of downtown Milwaukee in spring 2026, according to ICT.
Tsosie-Stachura, who is Diné and Lenca, created the business in December 2020 and has operated it online while selling at local Indigenous markets. She said the company’s name comes from a common mispronunciation of her maiden name, Tsosie. With a grant from Feeding America, she purchased equipment to craft her own blends.
Tsosie-Stachura said she sources ingredients from Indigenous foragers when possible, including suppliers on the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservations. She said 15% of profits will go back into the Milwaukee community and that the storefront will include space for community gatherings.