Dub’s Tea and Water

The British are coming, the British are coming! Just kidding, y’all, it’s a Texan from Victoria. They both have one thing in common though, they know a lot about tea. This Texan, Lance Wayman, and his lovely wife Kelly from Albuquerque, New Mexico, are the friendly owners of Dub’s Tea and Water in Plano.

Their little shop at Parker and Independence may not look like much from the outside, but it’s most definitely a matter of what counts on the inside that sets this business apart from others. Lance Wayman (“ELDub” to his buddies) visited a store in Amarillo years ago and decided if he ever owned his own business, it would be something similar–a quaint shop that offers folks the chance to taste the product before buying and, dadgum, offer them a plethora of choices!

Lance brews tea at Dub’s Tea and Water, around 50 different flavors to be exact. He brews black teas, green teas, herbal teas and has just started testing out some Rooibos tea. What’s so sweet about his shop, open since November 2014, is that he brews small batches for customers to taste before purchasing. You can walk in anytime and sample as many teas as you like, either sweetened or unsweetened.

Dub’s sells tea by the cup, half gallon or whole gallon, and the price is virtually the same as those boring old plain tea jugs you get from the grocery store but without all the preservatives. More and more people are giving up sodas and watching their caffeine or sugar intake and Dub’s offers a lot of great options for those folks. Why wouldn’t you buy something tasty to drink that helps you stay off the sodas?

Let’s say you do pop into the store but don’t have a lot of time to wait for Lance to brew you up a fresh gallon or two. He loves, loves, loves when customers call orders in ahead of time. Maybe you even have a sleeping baby in the back seat, and sweet Niblets has finally passed out and there is no way you are getting him out of the car to run in and pick up tea. No problem. Call or flash your lights and Lance will run out to your car and hook you up with your order.

Well, great, they’ve got tea, but what else does Dub’s offer? Lance has purified water, fruit infused water, lemonade, iced coffees, hot chocolate, lattes, hot tea lattes, Bullet coffee, Shotgun coffee (Bullet coffee with a shot of espresso) and 6-7 flavors of single origin coffees on hand at all times. There’s also a limited menu with quick yummies like wicked stuffed pretzels, small salads and stuffed waffles. He plans to offer hot soups, sandwiches and wraps during the colder months.

Dub’s is more than just a drink shop though; it’s become quite the popular hangout. Customers can find a quiet spot throughout most of the day to sit and study or work on their laptops. Once school lets out, the place fills up with Plano Senior High students. It’s no surprise when you see the big comfy sofa opposite a flat screen tv and giant cabinet bursting with video games, board games, card games, an Xbox and art supplies. And on Sundays during football season, it’s not uncommon to find an impromptu Steelers watching party. The shop also hosts local author book signings, live music, Rock Band nights, game nights and Dungeons and Dragons nights.

Lance and Kelly are always surprised at how small our little big town is. They really love their frequent customers and have gotten to know their names, what they do for a living, their kids’ names and what their kids are into. If you’re new, don’t worry, Lance will remember you next time you pop in. Trust me, you’ll be back.

Lance and Kelly are not only invested in our community (they live only a few blocks from the shop), they also provide an opportunity to help keep our community a little more environmentally green. They sell a reusable “LoyalTea Cup” that gets you a discount on a refill every time you come in. Kids can even bring in their sippy cups and get a discounted fill too. And Dub’s gift cards make the perfect gift for any tea or coffee lover.

Dub’s Tea and Water proves that you don’t have to be British to like tea. But you can sit around and talk in a British accent while you drink your tea if you want. That could be fun.