Meet A Proprietor: Lisa Coleman

When you walk into The Spice and Tea Exchange in John’s Pass, you can tell that a lot of labor and love has gone into this little shop. Most of that has come from Lisa Coleman. About four years ago, she visited the same store in St. Augustine and fell so in love that she opened the first franchise.

Coleman had been a legal assistant for 23 years, but always enjoyed cooking. “Both of my grandmothers are fantastic cooks,” she shared. “A lot of my childhood memories are of us eating. That’s where my love of food comes from.” Even though she had never worked in retail before, she went for it.

“I did some soul searching and pinpointed that I’m passionate about food. I just took a leap and it really worked out,” Coleman affirmed, smiling.

From the wicker shopping baskets to the Jack Johnson soundtrack, the shop is full of personality. In addition to standard spices, many are concoctions made by Coleman and her sweetheart Vik.

With a dozen different sugars, including Blueberry and Espresso, as well as six different kinds of paprika, Coleman is able to talk about her love of making food all day. “One of the most surprising things I found was the close relationships I built with my guests. It’s one of my favorite parts of the whole thing,” she said.

An inspiration to foodies everywhere, and to anyone hoping to love their work, Coleman has truly found her calling.