The ‘why’ of Lady Baker’s Tea

When our founder, Katherine, was a young mother of five, she had a dear friend—30 years her senior—named Irene Baker who often invited her in for tea. Irene would bring out her fine china and spoil her with tea, homemade cookies, stories, and genuine care—capturing the finer things in life: warmth, thoughtfulness, and connection.

Irene’s name (and spirit) became the inspiration behind “Lady Baker,” and the beginning of what this business would grow into.

After many adventures catering tea parties, Katherine—then behind Lady Baker’s Tea Trolley—turned over a new leaf and opened a Tea Bar at the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market in 2007, sharing premium loose leaf teas with a growing community of tea lovers. Over time, the business evolved (including dropping “trolley” from the name) and found a concrete home in downtown Charlottetown, where production, packaging, and shipping happen today.

Shannon Scales joined the company in 2008 and, as Katherine’s affectionately named “Tea Girl,” grew up in the business—learning every corner of it and wearing just about every hat along the way. In May 2024, she officially became the owner of Lady Baker’s Tea, a transition that felt natural, meaningful, and deeply right—carrying Katherine’s legacy forward with the same care Irene offered in every cup.