Moore Family

Born and raised in Chickasaw Alabama 1962, I went to Plateau Grade School in Prichard. Our family moved to Blytheville Arkansas in 1971 to be near my sittie (Arabic for grandmother), Labeebe Moore. Mom and pops opened a business called Five Star Specialties, 5 stars - Mom, Pops, Mike, Tony & Ricky (Chrissi wasn't born yet). Selling imprinted t-shirts, pens, ball caps, and more, with company's names & logo. This was a new start for pops who grew up in a Lebanese American, Catholic, loud-arguing, always-cursing, gambling-addicted, yet loving family.

Making friends in the third grade was easy for me, friends still today. I didn't do well in school and considered myself a bad kid but never got suspended from school or had trouble with the law. Graduating in the bottom 20% of my class of about five-hundred students in 1981, I had no idea what to do with my life, so I moved to Dallas Texas, known at that time as the epicenter of the new technology boom. Having some experience with technology from working on pinball machines for daddy in Blytheville, I enrolled at Devry University but didn't have a passion for it. Mom and pops moved from Blytheville back to Mobile in 1982, so I packed and move back too.

Chapter III 1994 - 2021

I had no idea what I was doing, thought I was opening a quaint Tea Room. With no business experience and not knowing how to write a check, I called momma and said, "they actually have trucks to deliver food, I don't have to go to Delchamps".  Ten days before opening Alec Namam, my cousin, informed me I was opening a restaurant and needed a menu. He wrote it, taught me the recipes, and how to cook.  Alec and his team stayed with me for a couple of months to make sure I got on my feet not asking anything in return, I'm grateful Alec.

I spent five years with a negative balance in my checking account, up every night calling the bank checking my balance to see how far behind it was. I once paid my employees with change from the cash register, so you want to open a restaurant huh. I never gave up, believing someday I'd catch up and turn the corner. 

In 1999 I was able to buy this building, forever displaying our family name, Zoghby-Moore. Located on Dauphin Street in the heart of the arts and entertainment district, now considered ground zero for downtown redevelopment. 

In 2001 the Archdiocese donated the land in front of the Cathedral Church and Spot of Tea to the City with the condition no restroom be built, Cathedral Square was born. The city built a crosswalk from our front door to the Cathedral Square, I'm grateful City. 

In 2002 Mayor Mike Dow and I shared a vision of a sidewalk café', and developed it over a few years, it still evolves today. Mike gave me my first Right of Way agreement for the sidewalk café and tables in the Square, I'm grateful Mike.

In 2008 I built the balcony with a spiral staircase to it, we now seat about one hundred guests outside between all the different spaces. 

Today we're considered Mobile's Flagship restaurant, and a bucket list destination for visitors from around the country.  

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the evolution of the Spot of Tea. We look forward to seeing what the next twenty-seven years brings!