Despite recent sweeping changes, the flagship Tervis Store in Osprey is open. One of these changes? New ownership—specifically former Tervis CEO Hosana Fieber and Rogan Donelly, a member of Tervis' founding family—with a focus on preserving the brand’s legacy and its place in the community. 

Tervis was founded in South Sarasota County in 1946—and while the ownership is new, the shop is not. The Osprey store has anchored the company’s local presence for decades. It served as a manufacturing plant in the 1960s before being converted into a retail location in the mid-2000s. By 2004, the shop was already  40 years old. Generations of families brought in worn tumblers for replacement and vacationers stopped there for locally made souvenirs.

Fieber, who first joined Tervis in 2009 and became its CEO in 2023, says taking ownership of the Osprey store represents both continuity and change.

“It’s been a journey,” she says. “I started in finance, then was COO, CFO, and came back in 2023 as CEO. I feel like the turbulence is over and getting on the other side feels like a big accomplishment. Helping the company through the sale and continuing the legacy of its last store is great."

And, she confides, "we might have some pop-up stores in the future.”

Tervis' North Venice HQ was listed for sale in 2020, and the company has seen a cascade of changes in just a few months. In May, the company moved out of its Venice offices after nearly 20 years at the 119,989-square-foot campus on Triple Diamond Boulevard, moving its base of operations back to its original Osprey site, which—in addition to the store—had also served as a manufacturing plant.

This month, a newly formed Delaware entity, JV2 Innovative Products LLC, acquired a majority stake in Tervis. The group pledged to retain the Tervis name and some existing stakeholders, including Donelly as a minority owner, while committing to investments in product development, sales growth and focusing on wholesale strategies.

On Aug. 25, the company named Roger Parsons—an executive with consumer-goods experience at Dannon, Yankee Candle and Wellness Pet Company—as its new president and chief revenue officer. Parsons' appointment completed the leadership transition, and Fieber stepped aside after guiding the company through the sale.

That separation—Tervis LLC focusing on wholesale, while the Osprey store stands alone in retail—gives the shop flexibility. “This being the only retail store, we have the capacity to do things just for the brand,” Fieber says. The Osprey shop is now the only place where customers can walk in with a damaged tumbler and leave the same day with a replacement; elsewhere, warranties must be handled by mail. 

You’ll also be able to make your own custom cup. Customization, once a hallmark of the brand, is being revived. Fieber and Donelly purchased equipment to allow same-day personalization.

“I think it’s going to make [the store] a destination again,” Fieber says. “When people come, they’ll bring their sunset pictures, and do it all in about 15 minutes.”

The Osprey building itself will also see some changes. “[Last year's] hurricane season got our signage and most of what identified the store on the outside,” she says. “There will be new signage, a new logo and branding for the store—obviously very Tervis-driven. Inside, there will be updates, more of a tribute to the brand. But there’s also a quaintness we don’t want to lose. People are attached to the history of the company.”

For many, that history is personal. “People love that the brand is a hometown brand,” Fieber says. “It was created and grew and scaled right here. People are attached to the place they love. That’s why it’s important. It’s representative of Sarasota. Sixty-plus years of history here make it very unique. You hear people say, ‘I came [to the store] with my grandparents or parents,’ and talk about how they used to send in physical pictures and get their custom cup in the mail after their trip.  A lot of loyal followers remember that—being on family vacation and associating this brand with the area they were visiting and the fun they had together."

Fieber also sees potential for the store to play a larger role locally. “I want to contribute to the community and do things like events and get involved in causes,” she says. “We’re focusing on Tervis products, but the involvement with the community we’ll do as a standalone, because it’s important to me. We plan to get involved in cause-driven events.”

Asked to describe the store’s future,  she says it's about evolving the experience with the product. "What we do with it and what we do with customization, it will always tie back to Sarasota," she says.

Walking through the shop now, as an owner, Fieber feels a sense of continuity. The space feels warm, she says. “I feel grateful to be part of the journey," she says.

As far as the make-your-own cup experience, she's aiming for mid-September. “The custom ones I've made over the years are my favorite.”