Downtown lot becomes outdoor dining venue

“It was just overgrown,” Bagasra said. “We had the permission to use the lot and to do whatever we needed to do with it.”

Bagasra said work began in February on cleaning up the lot, cutting down trees, removing weeds and pulling stumps.

“We worked on it all spring,” she said.

The patio, which is now complete, has brick pavers and has various herbs, perennials and even tomato plants for use in the business. The courtyard can seat up to 32 people.

“We have tables and umbrellas out there where people can sit and enjoy when the weather is nice,” Bagasra said.

She said there are plans to have events in the evenings such as the most recent Tea Thyme Tasting Table Event held July 18.

The event featured Sallie’s Greatest Jams & Simple Syrups.

Tea Thyme opened in October 2016 and has seen a steady customer base over the past nine months,  Bagasra said. “It has been great. We have been really received well.”

The restaurant attracts courthouse employees and visitors, and other office employees from the downtown area.

And there are patrons from afar.

“People have come from Florida and those traveling to Charleston,” Bagasra said. “A lot of out-of-towners have come into downtown Orangeburg.”

The popularity of the restaurant, which primarily operates as a carry-out service, has produced requests from patrons for more dine-in options.

Tea Thyme provides specialty foods and freshly ground spices and loose teas. The store has more than 140 different spices from across the world and 40 different tea varieties.

Bagasra is joined in the business by her daughter, Dr. Anisah, as well as husband and wife, Krishna Addanki and Madhu Bandhi and Muhammad Hossain. Both Addanki and Hossain are colleagues of Bagasra at Claflin University.

The Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association renovated 1122 Church St. last year to create a space for business occupancy and start a positive buzz about downtown Orangeburg.

DORA collaborated with local businesses and organizations to create the pop-up shop called “Surcee,” for the regional custom of giving small, unexpected gifts.

The building’s renovation was intended to eventually result in a permanent business.

DORA has focused on a recruitment of businesses to the downtown district as part of its community vision plan

The business plan competition, “Endeavor,” is being modeled after the successful Main Street Challenge programs in Spartanburg and Pickens.