Afterlife Tea and Boba Room Hosts ‘New Year’s Market’
For its first event of the year, Afterlife Tea and Boba Room recently hosted its New Year’s Market event, bringing local artists and businesses together for a fun day of camaraderie, connection, and community.
On January 28, in the parking lot in front of Afterlife Tea and Boba Room on Spring Mountain Road and Eldon Street, the community came out to celebrate the new year. Each vendor there showcased their creations and the love they pour into their businesses.
Hand-selected by Reina Manuel, the owner of Afterlife, these artists and businesses support one another in many ways. By going through each participating vendor’s Instagram, she ensures there’s not a lot of competition, and everyone has a chance to succeed.
“That’s my thing here. I don’t want anyone to feel like, “Oh, I didn’t do great [because] there’s too many of this too many that,” Manuel said. “Like I said, there’s too much negativity already. The best thing to do is be positive and be there for each other. There’s a whole world full of people, and there’s business for everyone.”
In addition to knowing almost all of them personally, many of the vendors offered a helping hand to Reina when she started her own business.’
Afterlife Tea & Boba’s First Event of the Year Features Art, Food, and Boba
Something for Everyone
Attendees of the event were receptive to the vendors’ welcoming, inclusive atmosphere as much as the art, food, and services they made for the customers.
Simple hellos led to full-on conversations about the stories behind the piece and admiration for the craftsmanship. With music blaring and food in every corner, everyone participated in the various festivities.
Even a passerby in a car driving on Spring Mountain Road had the driver honk as she yelled out the window to show her support for the event.
Art and Creative Vendors
Many vendors sold handmade art, jewelry, posters, spiritual reading services, and even $40 dollar tattoos.
One of the vendors at the event was Another Sad Goth. The owner, Savannah Chavez, presented a variety of handmade art that she applied to posters, stickers, notebooks, t-shirts, and jewelry.
When asked how long it takes to make her high-quality products or reach a certain level of artistry, Chavez shared that she started last summer. “I started drawing in July, and then in August, I said I might as well sell it. I draw it a lot.”
Vendor Shane Hibbets, a.k.a Art by Mastercreation, also displayed his work at the event. He provides a wide selection of hand-painted skateboards that, when lit with ultraviolet light, showcase a different color and side to the image when seen without. His stand also featured his pins, skate decals, and prints.
The Art by Mastercreation website showcases more of his art and provides products ranging from key chains to helmets.
Hibbets has experienced throughout his artistic journey. Despite numerous back surgeries due to type 1 diabetes, he continues to create his art, even with all the hardships he’s endured.
“His one thing [is that] he has always stayed true. Stay true and be original. I find it incredibly inspiring so that’s why I am here,” said Destiny Hernandez, Hibbetts’ girlfriend.
Food Vendors
Food stands and food trucks also set up at the event, including Attack on Rice, which offered its assortment of Japanese food. Along with food choices, the art section of the event had its own variety.
In addition, customers lined up for drinks at Afterlife Tea and Boba Room to fuel up to continue browsing. They selected from a wide selection of exclusive iced coffees, special teas, smoothies, refreshers, and a variety of mixes of special drinks Afterlife makes exclusively.
The welcoming environment spread from the inside to the outside as everyone walked around with one of their drinks. As the music kept playing, people kept shopping, conversing, and connecting with others.
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New Year’s Event Impact
The New Year’s Market event provided exposure to these vendors and an opportunity for community connection. That was one of Reina Manuel’s goals for the event.
Manuel has noticed how hard it is for business owners to connect with others who don’t run a business. That’s why she wanted the event to be more than just business-to-business.
“I wanted everyone to see the community itself and really get together and support each other,” she said. “I think we live in a very corporate world right now. And I think it would be best if we all could be there for each other. There’s enough negativity in the world, and all I want to be is positive and bring everyone love and joy. That’s why I really wanted to start this event.”
Manuel said that it has taken her time to get the event started. Her small team is learning and doing it together. When talking about the vendors, she mentioned the accepting and welcoming nature of the group of vendors she selected for the event.
“I think this is the most accepting group of people that I have ever met in my life,” she said. “Goes a lot to say. Cause I grew up in a very religious household. And I am married to a woman.”
The Importance of Small Business in Our Community
Americans’ views of small businesses became more positive over the past year: 86% now say that small businesses positively affect the country. This is an increase from 80% in October 2022, according to a survey of U.S adults conducted by Pew Research Center.
A business thrives in a community that helps one another, which is visible through Nevada’s business statistics. According to the 2020 Businesses Employment Dynamics portion of the USBA Nevada profile, small businesses created 30,054 net new jobs.
When other businesses, consumers, and workers are at the heart of it all, it can spread diversity, trade, and change in all aspects of a community.
#GetInMotion with Afterlife Tea and Boba Room
Afterlife Tea and Boba Room is set to host two more market events on February 25 and March 24 and are currently accepting applications from vendors wanting to participate in their 2024 markets.
People wanting to attend the next market, become a vendor, or see their menu can follow the restaurant on Instagram and Facebook and visit their website.
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