Photos by Charlotte Matherly
After five years of running their Southern Spud food truck, wife-and-husband team Shena-Rae and Al Schramm are ready to go brick-and-mortar, but it won’t be with their usual baked potatoes.
The couple is opening Southern Serenity Cafe and Tea Room, a concept entirely separate from their food truck business, Shena-Rae said.
They hope the new cafe, opening next month in the Midlothian Crossing shopping center at 8517 Midlothian Turnpike, will help them slow down in their own lives while also providing a serene space for others to relax with breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea.
“We’ve done the fast, hurry, hurry, fast,” Shena-Rae said. “This was, ‘OK, take a step back and maybe slow down.’”
The Schramms plan to launch a reservation-only soft opening on July 1 and host a grand opening July 6. After that, the cafe will operate Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Shrams
Alongside 19 different teas — including black, white, green, oolong and herbal — Southern Serenity will serve pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads and several guided and à la carte tea menus.
The cafe will host afternoon tea services from 1 to 3 p.m., but will provide the same service at any time of day. Shena-Rae said if someone wants an afternoon-style tea service at 10 a.m., she wants to offer that.
The name Southern Serenity stems from Shena-Rae’s personal life. The “Southern” comes from her growing up in Mississippi: “Everything I do is Southern. I just can’t help it,” she said.
The “Serenity” portion is inspired by Shena-Rae’s mom, who also loved tea. She died in 2006. Shena-Rae said her mother loved the Serenity Prayer, and she wanted to create that same tranquility for her patrons.
“I want that serene feel, that peaceful feel,” Shena-Rae said.
She channeled that into decorating the tea room with antique furniture and tea sets. The walls, painted teal on the top half with wooden siding on the bottom, are lined with a fireplace, a grandfather clock and cabinets full of china sets. The Schramms spent months curating their furniture and tea set collections from thrift stores, estate sales and Facebook Marketplace.
Besides a few repairs, decorating and a whole bunch of cleaning, the Schramms haven’t pursued any big renovations to the space. Previously a Jon Smith Subs shop, the building was already set up to be a restaurant. White folding partitions block off the old sandwich line.
Shena-Rae expects to exceed her initial budget of $20,000 in startup costs.
The Schramms may be slowing down, but the Southern Spud food truck will still be around. Although forced to take a step back when Shena-Rae injured her back in 2021, they still cater events and festivals with their signature baked potatoes and have no plans to stop.
The food truck was founded in late 2018 after Shena-Rae was diagnosed with celiac disease and boasts a completely gluten-free menu. Shena-Rae, previously a trial lawyer, shifted careers to pursue her love of cooking, and Al worked the food truck while holding a remote job as a web developer.
Southern Serenity will have some gluten-free menu items and a separate counter to avoid cross-contamination, she said, but the cafe won’t be 100 percent gluten-free, a decision Shena-Rae said she struggled with. She wants to provide a multitude of allergy-friendly options at the tea room, which Al said food truck customers have often thanked them for.
“That’s kind of been an internal battle for me,” Shena-Rae said.
With plans to extend hours in the fall once they hire more people and dreams of hosting Sunday brunches and themed events, the Schramms said they hope Southern Serenity can offer a relaxed, sit-down experience in an area surrounded by fast-food chains.
“For me, tea brings comfort and soup brings some comfort and those types of things,” she said. “I want people to have that kind of place where they can sit and stay and feel like they’re at home away from home, you know?”
Photos by Charlotte Matherly
After five years of running their Southern Spud food truck, wife-and-husband team Shena-Rae and Al Schramm are ready to go brick-and-mortar, but it won’t be with their usual baked potatoes.
The couple is opening Southern Serenity Cafe and Tea Room, a concept entirely separate from their food truck business, Shena-Rae said.
They hope the new cafe, opening next month in the Midlothian Crossing shopping center at 8517 Midlothian Turnpike, will help them slow down in their own lives while also providing a serene space for others to relax with breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea.
“We’ve done the fast, hurry, hurry, fast,” Shena-Rae said. “This was, ‘OK, take a step back and maybe slow down.’”
The Schramms plan to launch a reservation-only soft opening on July 1 and host a grand opening July 6. After that, the cafe will operate Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Shrams
Alongside 19 different teas — including black, white, green, oolong and herbal — Southern Serenity will serve pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads and several guided and à la carte tea menus.
The cafe will host afternoon tea services from 1 to 3 p.m., but will provide the same service at any time of day. Shena-Rae said if someone wants an afternoon-style tea service at 10 a.m., she wants to offer that.
The name Southern Serenity stems from Shena-Rae’s personal life. The “Southern” comes from her growing up in Mississippi: “Everything I do is Southern. I just can’t help it,” she said.
The “Serenity” portion is inspired by Shena-Rae’s mom, who also loved tea. She died in 2006. Shena-Rae said her mother loved the Serenity Prayer, and she wanted to create that same tranquility for her patrons.
“I want that serene feel, that peaceful feel,” Shena-Rae said.
She channeled that into decorating the tea room with antique furniture and tea sets. The walls, painted teal on the top half with wooden siding on the bottom, are lined with a fireplace, a grandfather clock and cabinets full of china sets. The Schramms spent months curating their furniture and tea set collections from thrift stores, estate sales and Facebook Marketplace.
Besides a few repairs, decorating and a whole bunch of cleaning, the Schramms haven’t pursued any big renovations to the space. Previously a Jon Smith Subs shop, the building was already set up to be a restaurant. White folding partitions block off the old sandwich line.
Shena-Rae expects to exceed her initial budget of $20,000 in startup costs.
The Schramms may be slowing down, but the Southern Spud food truck will still be around. Although forced to take a step back when Shena-Rae injured her back in 2021, they still cater events and festivals with their signature baked potatoes and have no plans to stop.
The food truck was founded in late 2018 after Shena-Rae was diagnosed with celiac disease and boasts a completely gluten-free menu. Shena-Rae, previously a trial lawyer, shifted careers to pursue her love of cooking, and Al worked the food truck while holding a remote job as a web developer.
Southern Serenity will have some gluten-free menu items and a separate counter to avoid cross-contamination, she said, but the cafe won’t be 100 percent gluten-free, a decision Shena-Rae said she struggled with. She wants to provide a multitude of allergy-friendly options at the tea room, which Al said food truck customers have often thanked them for.
“That’s kind of been an internal battle for me,” Shena-Rae said.
With plans to extend hours in the fall once they hire more people and dreams of hosting Sunday brunches and themed events, the Schramms said they hope Southern Serenity can offer a relaxed, sit-down experience in an area surrounded by fast-food chains.
“For me, tea brings comfort and soup brings some comfort and those types of things,” she said. “I want people to have that kind of place where they can sit and stay and feel like they’re at home away from home, you know?”
This looks lovely. Wishing you continued success.