A HOT-PINK COLD-DRINK oasis flowers among the wafting scents of roasted corn and frybread at the northwest corner of the Gallup Flea Market. Among the 500-plus vendors of jewelry, crafts, antiques, and tasty Native treats, Ursula Rose Johnson’s blush-tinted Tea Boss shed stands out with two lines for maximum efficiency and a devoted following of customers queued up for refreshment.

With names like Rezz-berry and Navajo Milk Man, Johnson’s custom-blended iced drinks put a spin on the traditional Navajo tea, also known as cota or greenthread, that is native to the region. The Gallup-based entrepreneur began experimenting with tea in 2013, when a ginger-chamomile concoction cured her nausea while pregnant with her first child. “I started messing around with hibiscus, passion fruit, matcha, low-calorie drinks, cucumber drinks, organic lemonades,” she says, noting that Navajo tea is a caffeine-free antioxidant that also helps with respiratory and kidney health. “I wanted to give the Navajo Nation—and all of my customers—healthier options, like zero- and half-calorie drinks.”

Tea Boss took off in 2022, when the business began steadily popping up in locations beyond the flea market. These days, thirsty fans check in on social media to find Johnson and her summer team of 10 employees at as many as three events a day, in places as far-flung as Fort Defiance and Window Rock, in Arizona; Acoma and Zuni pueblos; and at Lava Smoke Shop, Foot & Ankle Specialists, and the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, in Gallup. “The adrenaline I have when I’m vending is a natural high for me,” Johnson says.
“I love people in general.”

Ursula Rose Johnson is the face of her business. Photograph courtesy of Joel Hillis/Applause Photography.

And people love her drinks. Sugar-free devotees can find balanced flavors on the Tea Boss menu. The Skinny Navajo is a low-calorie cucumber-lime refresher sweetened with monk fruit, while Thee Passionate Navajo is a summery mélange of rose petal, hibiscus, and passion fruit with orange peel and Navajo tea. Johnson is also quick to suggest off-the-menu blends. “Now they go to town ordering Thee Passionate Skinny Navajo,” she laughs. Rezzberry, which Johnson describes as “organic, non-GMO raspberry tea mixed with Navajo tea and non-GMO sugar,” is popular in Acoma and Zuni. And the Navajo Milk Man includes popping boba, vanilla almond milk, Navajo tea, and a touch of sweetener. 

“There’s been so much hard work put into this,” says Johnson, who has grappled with addiction in the past. “My heart just goes out to addicts and alcoholics and people who are struggling with their health.” With increased revenue, Tea Boss has been able to sponsor local sports teams and provide free drinks to unhoused people. Johnson hopes to open a brick-and-mortar location in the next year. “It’s crazy how tea is so healing,” she muses. “A lot of people don’t know that.”

Follow Tea Boss on Facebook or Instagram (@teaboss505) for pop-up dates, and find them at the 9th Street Gallup Flea Market on Fridays and Saturdays.

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