by WTN Staff

Reba Starling-Silvey, owner of the Shoppe at Shady Gables, is no stranger to good press, but her most recent coverage by a local lifestyels magazine came with an award, too.

Starling-Silvey opened the tea room and gift shop in Versailles, Mo., nearly 10 years ago. Building on the charm of her 107-year-old Victorian house, Shady Gables, she offers traditional afternoon tea by reservation only Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Since its opening, the tea shop has garnered extensive press coverage, by outlets ranging from regional publications, to tea-industry publications, to the Associated Press. Starling-Silvey has even done some writing of her own, in the form of her cookbook, "Made in the Shade: Simple Recipes for an Elegant Tea Time."

Most recently, she was among Lake Lifestyles magazine's Top 10 Business Women of the Year. This was the first time for the independently judged awards, which honored women in the Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., area who "have embraced the true entrepreneurial spirit, blazed new trails and seized the economic opportunities of a growing and changing economy," as the magazine's introduction put it.

In her interview, Starling-Silvey said she wanted to offer people a place to slow down and enjoy time with family. "You can't be all things to all people," she added. "Do what you love and do it really well."