2023 Welcoming Business Winners

The Better Together Advisory Board in partnership with the Decatur City Commission presented the fourth annual Welcoming Business Awards to Rebel Teahouse, Cereal Lab, and Cremalosa at the DBA Holiday Party in December. Better Together established the Welcoming Business Award to reward and publicly recognize leadership actions that create a welcoming and inclusive business environment in Decatur and to encourage businesses to prioritize inclusivity as a “best practice.” The Decatur City Commission established the Better Together Advisory Board in 2016 to guide and advise the Commission and the community around issues of equity, inclusion and engagement.

Rebel Teahouse 
Nominated by Shirley Baylis

Owner Christine Nguyen
Business opened in October 2022
13 employees

Rebel Teahouse is an artisanal bubble tea café with a focus on creating a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse environment, which is reflected in both their employment practices and their customer base spanning all ages, races, gender, and other identities. They have a major partnership with the Global Village School and also provide support to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS). They proactively applied for and received the Decatur Downtown Development Authority’s façade grant to install an automatic door to help customers with accessibility issues.

Cremalosa
Nominated by Truett Ford

Owner Meridith Ford
Business opened in February 2020
6 employees

Nationally recognized by Food & Wine Magazine in 2021 as having “the best ice cream” in the state of Georgia for its authentic Italian gelato—creates a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse environment aimed at all people. They provide an accessible space for those with physical disabilities, even beyond what is required by law. They possess a diverse staff, including people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. They’ve instituted pronoun buttons and pins for customer purchase, as well as encouraging staff to proudly portray their pronouns on their aprons. They frequently engage in community activities by hosting spirit days for schools and other non-profit organizations, as well as donating gelato to organizations like Embrace Refugee Birth. Their hiring practices include training staff on customer service best practices—first and foremost, to be friendly to everyone no matter their race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or situation.

Cereal Lab  

Owner Cynthia Hernandez
Business opened in November 2020
5 employees

The Cereal Lab is a unique desserts restaurant dedicated to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse environment with friendly and diverse staff members. In combining an innovative desserts concept with a nostalgic feel, they create a fun and inviting atmosphere that attracts customers of all ages, races, genders, and other identities.