The Lily’s and Elise Tea House is a luxury tea lounge located on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion in Detroit with a mission to provide an exceptional, European-style afternoon tea experience. Lily’s and Elise specializes in premium teas from around the world, pastries, and fresh flowers. The core values of Lily’s and Elise are femininity, substantiality, and community
inclusion.
Walking into Lily’s and Elise, visitors see beautiful seating and décor, including a floor-to-ceiling tree complete with pink petals on each branch. The pink theme extends to the seating. The luxury tea lounge experience is complemented by an assortment of teas, finger foods, and antique flatware and drinkware. Within the small retail store, items can be purchased à la carte such as teapots, tea steepers, and fresh tea leaves suitable for all customers. The company’s goal is to offer a unique, chic place for people to socialize, network, and enjoy a great cup of premium tea or local wine. Lily’s and Elise is a great place for creative outlets, bridal showers, meetings, and other special events.
Lily’s and Elise is owned by Kimberly Fisher, Michigan’s only Black, female tea sommelier, and is one of only a few tea houses in Detroit. It is located at the corner of Livernois and 7 Mile in a building also supported by Invest Detroit for redevelopment, called the Bagley Forest Property. The business occupies about 1,700 square feet of retail storefront space in the building and offers seating for 43, as well as an outside patio. Kimberly currently employs approximately five full-time employees but could grow to employ 18. She is focused on hiring residents of the city of Detroit.
Invest Detroit and partners Detroit Development Fund and ProsperUS Detroit provided loans to help Kimberly build out her retail space and support other business operations. The total project cost was $500,000.
Lily’s and Elise opened in the summer of 2024. Learn more at www.lilysandelise.com.