🎉 A big milestone for Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea: we celebrated the Grand Opening of our newest location in Magnolia, Texas on Saturday, August 15, and it's a first for our brand. This location is our very first-ever drive-thru only concept, a new format we're excited to bring to the Sweetwaters portfolio. It's also a proud moment for franchisees Heather & Arron Martin, who opened their second Sweetwaters location with this build - proof of what's possible when great operators believe in the brand and keep growing with us. Congratulations to Heather, Arron, and their entire team on a fantastic opening day, and thank you to the Magnolia community for the incredible turnout and support. As Sweetwaters continues to expand across new markets and formats, milestones like this one show the strength of our franchise model, and we can't wait to see what's next. Come say hi! 📍923 Honea Egypt Rd, Magnolia, TX, 77354 Interested in franchising with Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea? Let's talk. ☕ #FranchiseGrowth #Coffee #DriveThru #Franchising #SmallBusiness
About us
Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea was founded in 1993 in downtown Ann Arbor, MI. Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea is a coffeehouse that offers a selection of traditional European espresso drinks, globally inspired beverages, beautiful Asian teas, delicious desserts, pastries, and savory treats. Cafe locations include, Michigan, Ohio, California, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Iowa, New York, and we continue to grow.
- Website
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http://www.SweetwatersCafe.com
External link for Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
- Industry
- Food & Beverages
- Company size
- 51-200 employees
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 1993
- Specialties
- Signature Coffees, Classic Coffees, Customizable Drinks, Signature Teas, Coffee & Tea Boxes, Premium Teas, Select Teas, Shakes, Ice Dragons, Pastries, Desserts, Sandwiches, and Gourmet Sodas
Employees at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
View 227 employees at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
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Locations
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Primary
Get directions
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Get directions
123 W Washington St
Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
Updates
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Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea reposted this
One of the things I love most about Sweetwaters is seeing our cafés become a place where the next generation of entrepreneurs can get their start. Milan and her new cookie business, Maud Bites, are such a great example. When I tried her cookies I could taste her passion for baking. Now she has the opportunity to introduce her handcrafted cookies to new customers and build her business with the support of a local Sweetwaters community. Stories like Milan’s are especially meaningful to us because Sweetwaters began as an entrepreneurial dream of our own. We know how important it is for a new business to have people who believe in the idea, open doors, and create opportunities to grow. That’s also what makes owning a Sweetwaters so special. You’re not only building a business for yourself—you can create a gathering place that supports your community, creates jobs, and gives local entrepreneurs a platform to share what they’re building. Our best franchisees embrace that role, hosting pop-ups and finding ways to support the small businesses and new ideas around them. Whether you choose to own a Sweetwaters or forge your own entrepreneurial path, take the driver’s seat—and look for ways to help others move forward along the way. Milan will be selling her cookies tomorrow (Sunday 8/16) from 10a-noon. Sweetwaters on Washington St., Ann Arbor. Get some before they sell out - they're delicious! Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
https://lnkd.in/dNBXUWvz Congratulations Maud Bites for selling out day 1 of your two day pop up at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea on Washington St in Ann Arbor, MI. Day 2 is tomorrow, Sunday 8/16 from 10 am-Noon. Maui Thai-Tang, Nam Thai-Tang, Lisa Bee
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Fulfill your entrepreneurial dream. Work with great people, make guests' day, and be supported by a brand that has over 33 years of experience. https://lnkd.in/g_-F9Mhe #RealIngredients #GloballyInspired #Franchising #GreatOperators #GreatOwners
A perfect score—and a Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea first! 🎉 Congratulations to Eric, General Manager; Kadense, Assistant Manager; and the entire team at our Sweetwaters Westgate Library location in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for earning a perfect 100 on their Brand Operations Audit. Their business coach, John, set the bar high—and he did not make it easy. On their previous audit, the team earned an impressive 99, missing perfection because of one small issue. Eric and his team did not let that discourage them. Instead, they became even more determined to meet the standard John had established. John also never gave up. He continued coaching Eric and the team on how to achieve excellence, and together they reached a perfect score—without cutting corners. I am incredibly proud of this team and of John for protecting the quality of the Sweetwaters brand. This is franchising at its best: unwavering support, high standards, professional growth, and a shared commitment to creating the best possible experience for our guests. Owning and operating a business with the support of a larger brand. Entrepreneurship supercharged. There may even be some future Sweetwaters owners in this photo! I love this business and the dedicated professionals, coaches, baristas, and operators we have the privilege of working with. Congratulations, Sweetwaters Westgate team—you have officially set a new standard! ❤️☕️ Come visit them and give them a high five, they deserve it! #SweetwatersCoffeeAndTea #FranchisingAtItsBest #OperationalExcellence #TeamDevelopment #Leadership #AnnArbor #CoffeeBusiness
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🏆 Voted Best of South Carolina 2026! Huge congratulations to Edwin Ng, franchise owner of Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea in Columbia, SC, on being named a Best of South Carolina 2026 Regional Winner by The Guide to South Carolina! This recognition is voted on by the community - which makes it extra special. It's a reflection of the care Edwin and his team pour into every drink, every guest interaction, and every event they show up for. Edwin's story is what franchising is all about: the pride and independence of owning your own business, backed by the support, systems, and community of a larger team. You're in business for yourself, never by yourself. If you've ever dreamed of building something of your own in your community, we'd love to talk: https://lnkd.in/g_-F9Mhe Congratulations, Edwin - we're so proud to have you in the Sweetwaters family. ☕ #Franchising #SmallBusiness #BestOfSouthCarolina #SweetwatersCoffeeAndTea #Entrepreneurship #FranchiseOpportunity
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We're thrilled to introduce Melissa Paull and Steven Paull, the proud new owners of three Sweetwaters cafes! 👋 You can find them at Sweetwaters at Bridge Park, the Historic Dublin Library in Dublin, Ohio, and the Pointe at Polaris in Columbus. Melissa and Steve have called Dublin home for more than 20 years and are deeply engaged in the community, from volunteering at local events to being active members of the Dublin social scene. Their professional backgrounds span HR and technology across consulting and the corporate world, along with several real estate investments - but owning a business together has always been the dream. When these Sweetwaters locations became available, they knew it was the right fit. What drew them to Sweetwaters? High-quality products, warm and welcoming cafes, and a genuine connection with the local community - the very things that make our brand what it is. Melissa and Steve are excited to join the Sweetwaters family and look forward to bringing new products and events to their cafes. If you're in the Dublin or Columbus area, stop in and say hello - they'd love to meet you ☕
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If you missed Lisa's live TED talk, it's now online! Great insights on being an entrepreneur and origin stories of some of drinks and more!
I recently gave a TEDxUofM 2026 talk about creative problem solving. But here’s what I didn’t say on stage… When we were building Sweetwaters, we didn’t have a playbook, manuals, a team to help us with marketing and product development. - No franchise roadmap. - No “how to scale to over 30 locations.” - No guarantee any of this would work. What we had were looming questions just like every other independent entrepreneur. How can we stand out in a crowded market? How can we stay authentic as we grow? How can we build something people connect with, not just consume? One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over 30+ years... the answer is rarely obvious. And it’s almost never borrowed. You have to create it. Not from theory—but from your own personal story, your constraints, your guests. That’s where real differentiation and uniqueness comes from. For entrepreneurs, restauranteurs, and franchise operators there is no perfect model. Instead think about, “What problem are we uniquely positioned to solve?” That perspective built Sweetwaters more than any strategy ever did. What’s a problem your business had to solve that didn’t have a clear answer? https://lnkd.in/gtK3rmDE
Creative Problem Solving from Egg Rolls to Cold Brews | Lisa Bee | TEDxUofM
https://www.youtube.com/
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The power of TEDx! Once national TED approves, we will share Lisa’s talk soon after…
When you watch a TEDx talk, you see 15 minutes on stage. What you don’t see is the months of iteration, collaboration, and quiet reworking behind it. Last November, I was elected Assistant Speaker Coach for TEDxUofM, and had the opportunity to work with Joe Kilmurray and Madelyn Tran to coach Lisa Bee, CEO of Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, for this year’s conference. Going in, I was honestly intimidated. What does it look like to coach a CEO? Would they even take feedback from a 19-year-old college student? Turns out, they do. Every session was a real collaboration of ideas tested, reshaped, and revisited not out of obligation, but because we all shared TED's mission: “Ideas Worth Spreading”. TEDxUofM 2026: Radiance brought together 1400 guests, 3 performance groups, and 9 incredible speakers to share stories of creativity, resilience, and the bright spots that can emerge even in difficult moments. Being part of the team reminded me that the impact of TEDx isn’t just in the talks. It’s in the connections we build, the questions we ask, and the value we bring to others’ ideas. By the end, I stopped worrying about whether I “belonged” in the room. I focused on how I could add value: tightening the narrative, asking “why”, and connecting egg rolls to pumpkin-spiced lattes in a way that actually made sense. Seeing Lisa deliver her talk to a 1,400-person audience was incredible, but what I’ll carry with me is everything I learned along the way about leadership, responsibility, collaboration, and egg rolls. I’m immensely grateful for this experience, and for the people like Peter Wathen and Samantha Tandy who make opportunities like this possible.
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We have some exciting news to share over our morning brew! Our very own co-founder and CEO, Lisa Bee, will be taking the stage at TEDxUofM 2026: Radiance. This year’s theme, Radiance, is all about resilience, creativity, and finding those bright spots of light even in difficult moments. Hosted by the incredible students at the University of Michigan, it’s going to be an afternoon filled with inspiration and fresh perspectives. We’d love for our Sweetwaters community to join us, cheer on Lisa, and hear from a fantastic lineup of speakers. Join Us at the Power Center: 📅 Saturday, March 14, 2026 ⌚ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM 📍 Power Center for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor, MI Grab your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/gtdDVY2K We can’t wait to see your friendly faces in the crowd!
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Happy Lunar New Year! We’re celebrating the Lunar New Year at the flagship Sweetwaters on W. Washington St. with a special Year of the Horse tasting on Wednesday, February 18 from 6–7:30 PM. This intimate evening will be hosted by Lisa Bee, our co-founder and CEO along with her longtime friend & guest Linh S., Ann Arbor community leader and philanthropist. Hear how Lunar New Year is celebrated in both Chinese and Vietnamese culture while enjoying a curated tasting of Sweetwaters' favorite Asian inspired beverages. Seats are limited - RSVP by February 16th. Location: Sweetwaters downtown Ann Arbor, on W. Washington St. Reserve your seat here: https://lnkd.in/ggeyAAY3 Come sip, learn, and celebrate the Year of the Horse with us!
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Shhh… don’t keep this one to yourself! The Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea x Oatly collab is officially here. We’re leaning all the way into creamy, dreamy, oat-forward perfection with a lineup where oatmilk isn’t just an alternative -- it’s the headliner. We’ve reimagined a few of our signature brews (plus a few new surprises) to create an exclusive "Secret" Menu, available only through our app. The Exclusive Lineup: Oatly Classic Matte Black Cold Brew - Decadent & dark. Tiramisu Oatly Latte - Our newest (and sweetest) obsession. Ginger Chai Oatly Latte - Sweet & spiced. Oatly Dreamy Cold Brew - Smooth as silk. From bold espresso to dessert-inspired sips, we’ve proven that everything tastes better with Oatly. Ready to find your new favorite? Download the Sweetwaters app to unlock the secret menu today! ☕📲 https://lnkd.in/gXrTnvac
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