BGNN Black History Month feature: Q & A with Renea Woods-Baylor

Renea Woods-Baylor 

owner and operator of The Tea Lady Inc.

190 Second St. NW, Barberton

Visit http://ohioteady.com

Thanks to Renea Woods-Baylor for providing answers to questions posed by The BGNN.  All profiles will appear in print in the Feb. 25 Barberton Gazette & Norton News. If you would like to recommend someone to respond to these questions while Black History Month is being recognized, please email [email protected]. 

Do you have roots in Barberton? 

“No, I do not. I do have a very close friend of mine who grew up in Barberton and his name is Marcus Board. He has a large family in the city of Burton.”

How would you describe yourself in three sentences (a short biography)?

“I am a third-generation entrepreneur, business owner in my family. I’ve owned and operated an accounting firm in Akron, Ohio since 1999, which I sold in 2020. Owning an operating the tearoom is my dream retirement plan.”

Who was an inspiration to you throughout life? 

“Local Powerful and influential, black women that I grew up around in my hometown, my mother and grandmother.  Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama (sooo many I can’t name them all) Finally my daughters!”

What involvement do you have in the Barberton community?

“Since I’ve been in Barberton, which has been since June 2025, I have given and supported several organizations throughout the city. It’s an absolute pleasure and honor to serve the community, not just with my business, but also supporting organizations within the city that assist our fellow neighbors.”

Do you feel Barberton is an inclusive community?

“Yes, I feel that Barberton has really embraced my business, and I feel right at home…  it’s been an amazing opportunity to have my business in this city.”

If Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today and came to Barberton, what do you think he would say about the community? 

“Honestly, I don’t know enough about Barberton to know what he would say, but if I’ve shared my experience with him thus far he would be proud!”

If you could have dinner with any influential figure from Black history, who would it be and why? 

“There are so many people that I would love to sit down and have dinner with because no one person can instill everything that you desire or want to have a conversation with because everyone has a different perspective and or experience.

“Back in the late 1800s early 1900s there were several tearooms owned by Black women and the women that own these Tearooms were one of the most influential and wealthy women in a time where women weren’t even allowed to work outside of the home and or vote, etc.

“I would count that as a privilege to sit before them/Her and learn from their experiences; hear the wonderful stories they would share and be in amazement of how their journey through such a trying time in our history kept their businesses Thriving!”