A new café called Sojourn Tea & Goods will open next month in downtown Lafayette, offering tea, coffee, and handcrafted items. Owned by local resident Julia Bonaventure, the business aims to introduce global tea varieties to the community. The opening coincides with a student arts event at the nearby Acadiana Center for the Arts.
Julia Bonaventure, who was born in Lafayette but raised in a military family, has long appreciated tea from her travels around the world. After returning to Lafayette in 2022, she noticed limited options for tea in the area. In September, Bonaventure was laid off from her corporate human resources position, prompting her to explore business ideas. She settled on opening a café to share her passion.
Sojourn Tea & Goods will launch on March 14 at 118 W. Vermilion St., right next to the Acadiana Center for the Arts (ACA). The debut aligns with the ACA's 16th annual Lafayette Student Arts Expo. The spot also neighbors the Louisiana Music Museum, which is currently under construction. Bonaventure views the location as ideal for fostering community connections.
The café will serve a range of teas, coffee options, snacks, and handcrafted goods. Bonaventure's goal is to create a space that brings international flavors to Lafayette. "I want it to be a global perspective, a place of discovery," she said.
She highlighted the supportive local response during preparations. "Everyone has just been so incredibly kind, which, again, is just part of the reason that I wanted to do this and do something community-facing," Bonaventure added. "I look forward to the moments where people come in, and they truly enjoy the space."
This venture reflects Bonaventure's desire to contribute to downtown Lafayette's cultural scene through a welcoming, discovery-oriented establishment.