Operations

Texas-Born HTeaO expands with drive-thru store in El Campo

Photo: HTeaO

July 24, 2026

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National iced tea franchise HteaO will open a new location in El Campo, Texas, on Saturday, Aug. 1. The store, located at 606 N. Mechanic, is owned and operated by first-time franchise partners Brandon Somers, Joanie Roome and Sandra Smolik Alexander, according to a press release.

To celebrate the grand opening, the store will offer free cups of tea from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and the first 250 customers will receive limited-edition HTeaO T-shirts.

For Roome and Alexander, a mother and daughter born and raised in El Campo, the new business marks a homecoming.

"Coming back to open this in my hometown has been such a meaningful part of this whole journey," Roome said in the press release. "One of the things we love most about HTeaO is that no two visits have to be the same, with so many flavors and combinations, there's always something new to try. But what really makes the experience special is the people. We can't wait to see familiar faces, welcome new ones, and build a place that feels like home from the very first visit."

"El Campo has always been a place where people look out for one another, and that's exactly the kind of experience we want to bring to HTeaO," added Alexander. "Getting to do this alongside my daughter, in the community that raised us both, makes it even more meaningful. We can't wait to welcome our friends and neighbors in and share something we're truly proud of."

"Opening our first HTeaO is incredibly exciting, and there's nowhere we'd rather do it than El Campo," Somers said in the press release. "This is a community that values local businesses and welcomes new neighbors with open arms and for Joanie and Sandra, it's simply home. From day one, our goal has been to create a place where people enjoy great tea, feel genuinely welcomed and always have a reason to come back."

The location caters to customers in-store and through a drive-thru, featuring more than 20 flavors of sweetened and unsweetened tea made with 100% natural ingredients and a proprietary water filtration system.

Opening weekend promotions include buy-one-get-one-free cups of tea all day Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2. Customers can also purchase half-priced gallons of tea from Aug. 1 through Aug. 8, and buy-one-get-one-free Brewhouse coffee from Aug. 2 through Aug. 8. The store will also observe the franchise's daily happy hour, offering buy-one-get-one-free cups of tea from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every day.

In Jan. 2023, HTeaO announced a minority partnership with two Dallas-based private equity firms, Crux Capital and Trive Capital, signaling a strategic move for stable expansion. Hitting a significant milestone of 150 locations in July 2025, HTeaO is on the path of continued growth.