CAIT SHEA + Sprouted Coffee Bar

Our (New) Store:

Who, or what, is CAIT SHEA + Sprouted? We are a mix of many things: design studio, boutique, coffee bar, lounge—in short, a multifunctional lifestyle store. We aim to transform traditional retail shopping into a community-oriented experience, a place where people can gather and connect: to feel a sense of ease and belonging. Visitors can view our on-site clothing studio, and purchase pieces from the CAIT SHEA collection in our boutique. The retail store also offers a unique opportunity to support local makers via a carefully-curated selection of environmentally-conscious handmade goods that are, in a similar fashion, trailblazing new, sustainable ideas within their respective industries. Our in-house coffee bar provides a communal workspace where people can sip on our gourmet drink selection and relax in our lounge. We use this space to host events that encourage community development and educational access, from teen open-mic nights to knitting workshops, book signings and how-to talks and seminars. 

Our new storefront location will be settled in the quaint New England village of Ivoryton, CT. Known as 'the town that elephants built', it was established as a piano factory town and hub in the Ivory trade. The building itself was constructed by Ivoryton founder Samuel Comstock in 1873 and was originally the Rose Brother's General Store, which provided factory workers and townspeople with life's daily essentials and housed the local banquet hall. As of now, it sits vacant. We want to breathe new life into this historic building by returning it to its community roots—all while promoting contemporary values of inclusivity and eco-consciousness. Our owner, Cait Shea Clark grew up in Ivoryton, and is excited to bring her ideas and art back home. 

Our Team:

CAIT SHEA + Sprouted is a 100% female-owned-and-operated initiative. The brainchild of Cait Shea Clark, whose dream of a slow fashion boutique sprouted into a unique social space. With the help of her talented team of innovative young women this idea has come to life. We are proud to provide versatile individuals with employment and opportunities that allow them to apply their creativity and cultivate their own skills. 

Company Mission:

CAIT SHEA

CAIT SHEA is a sustainable slow-fashion line founded by Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) alumna, Cait Shea Clark. Our mission is to challenge fashion industry norms of mass-production and ever-changing styles. We aim to return to the days of cottage industry manufacturing and small capsule collections; intentional, well-designed pieces meant to last a lifetime. All of our designs are expertly and lovingly handmade in our Ivoryton, CT, studio using natural fibers and dead-stock fabric, sourced with a local focus and as much transparency as possible. Each item is designed, cut, sewn, and finished by Cait Shea and her studio assistant with the highest quality standards in mind. Inspired by nature and classic tailoring, our designs are meant to be comfortable for all of life’s adventures.

Sprouted Coffee Bar

Just a quick word about our coffee (because it really is that good!). In keeping with our sustainable practices, all of our coffee is organic & fair trade by Black Hall Roasters, located just down the river on the shores of New London, CT. In addition to traditional espresso drinks, we also specialize in Ayurvedic, or "naturally healing" drinks, including our turmeric/ginger-based Golden Latte and activated charcoal/cacao Black Latte.  In addition, we carry local, Ayurvedic herbal teas and tinctures from Whole Harmony, as well as the thoughtfully-curated teas from Harney & Sons. While we encourage our patrons to bring their own cup to our coffee bar, we only use compostable, corn-based to-go containers to further reduce our impact. Our hopes are to eventually install our own compost system at our new location. 

Where's the money going?

Plain and simple, we need funds to build the coffee bar and fitting rooms.

While starting a small business always has unforeseen hurdles, we're happy to report that the majority of ours is behind us. We have had the last year to test out our vision at a pop-up in Chester, and are now ready for a permanent home in Ivoryton. 

During this past year we've surpassed all the challenges the Universe could throw at us, including a catastrophic flood which destroyed the CAIT SHEA boutique (we're happy to report that our new home is NOT in a flood zone!).  In order to continue to survive, and thrive, we need support from people like you who are interested in connecting with a brand and a space they believe in. The most powerful tool is that of word of mouth, and we need yours to help spread the word about CAIT SHEA + Sprouted Coffee Bar. Help us by sharing #GoodCoffeeGoodVibes