Tea and Books: The Subscription Box of Our Dreams

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Many tea lovers can certainly repeat C.S. Lewis’s quote with ease: “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” The founders of Muse Monthly can no doubt identify with the sentiment. harney tea picSubscription boxes have cropped up to meet many unique interests. Birchbox delivers health and beauty products to homes for a small monthly fee. Stitch Fix sends along a selection of clothing and accessories. Bark Box offers treats and products for dogs while Graze packages healthy treats for grownups. Muse Monthly founder Christina Blok thought that a box for lovers of tea and books could have a great following. Blok, from East Windsor, N.J., has created a subscription box that includes a new novel and tea selection each month. She describes it as “comfort in a box delivered right to your door.” Interest in her new line was apparent quickly. She tested the waters with a Kickstarter campaign in May aimed at raising $3,000. It took her only four days to reach that goal. By month’s end she had brought in $12,410. rishi teaBy working with both large, established publishers and independent houses and focusing on new books in the market, she hopes to give subscribers something they may not find immediately on their own. For the tea side she has focused on a mix of suppliers such as Townshend’s Tea, Ajiri, Rishi, Harney & Sons and Art of Tea. The July box included a Gunpowder Green from Harney & Sons and “The Only Ones” by Carola Dibbell. Subscribers can sign up for a month-to-month option ($28) or prepay for three or six months or a full year ($85, $163, $290). There is also an option to buy a single month as a gift ($30). SOURCE: CentralJersey.com and Muse Monthly