Walking through Dani Niedzielski and Meghan O’Connor’s Provincetown shop, the Captain’s Daughters, is a lesson in personal style. The shelves are loaded with temptations from one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces to cheeky attire, like “Provincetown Country Club” T-shirts. And along one wall are the expertly blended teas that got them started here — encased in classic navy-and-white tins.
In the busy weeks following Memorial Day, visitors to the shop veer toward their teas and tea accoutrements, says Niedzielski. There’s something peaceful and contemplative about tea, just what’s called for to counterbalance the frenzy of a vacation cottage cleanup.
If sipping tea sounds just too comfy-cozy, consider its role in cocktail-making. Over the years, Strangers & Saints mixologists featured several of the Captain’s Daughters teas in their drinks. Niedzielski especially likes a mojito made with their 10’s Matcha: “Think your favorite classic rum and mint mojito, but with a savory hint of green tea,” she says. Their fruity Strawberry Meadow tea is also a good mixer for a summer cocktail.
O’Connor and Niedzielski both went to art school and met afterwards working together in product development for fashion designer Marc Jacobs in New York. O’Connor was in special projects, which meant creating items especially for the company’s retail shops. Niedzielski veered toward training. Both jobs were stressful, but the friends invented their own “micro-escapes,” consisting of a little fresh air and a cup of tea.
On visits to Provincetown, they fell in love with its natural beauty, diversity, and creative vibe. So, in 2017, when they decided to turn the feeling — and accoutrements — of their daily breaks into a shop of their own, they brought their idea to Commercial Street.
The Provincetown shop is just opening now for the season, though the pair sell teas and their other selections through their website all year round.
Their afternoon teatimes were “a time to recharge and reconnect,” says Niedzielski. “We wanted to recreate that for others. A little indulgence and escape.” Something everyone seeks as spring turns into summer.
