TeaGschwendner
1160 N. State St., 312-932-0603
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-7 p.m Sun.
Forgive Chicago tea drinkers if they occasionally feel like the poor stepchildren of the local hot beverage market. Teahouses are nowhere near as ubiquitous as the Starbucks, Caribou Coffees and myriad independent joints that caffeinate most every corner of the city. But TeaGschwendner, a German-based tea emporium, has chosen Chicago as its first North American location. The shop opened in late March in the Gold Coast neighborhood.
SAY AGAIN? It’s pronounced Tee-gesh-wend-ner.
WHY CHICAGO RATES: “Chicago is an ideal location for us,” said manager Charles Cain. The company has more than 130 shops in Europe, South America and Saudi Arabia, and two more Chicago-area stores are planned for later this year. The city’s sophisticated, multicultural population, he said, is the perfect testing ground for their effort to transform U.S. tea drinking from an event (as in “Let’s have tea at the Drake”) to a lifestyle (as in “I can’t start the day without my cup of tea!”)
DEFINING VARIETY: With more than 300 varieties in stock at any time, TeaGschwendner’s main focus is on loose-leaf tea for home brewing, but there are always a half-dozen teas brewed on-site ($2.20 per cup) for carryout; the store has no seating. They’ll also custom-brew one of their other teas for $2.45. A selection of tea-infused pastries and other accom-paniments also are available.
TRAVELS WITH A TEAPOT: Teas from around the world are arranged in seven categories: white, green, black, oolong, herbal, rooibush and fruit. Prices range from $2.20 to more than $25 for a 50-gram bag of tea–enough to make about 25 cups. The store also offers every conceivable tea accessory, such as teapots, filters and tea warmers.
Staff members eagerly educate the uninitiated, and complimentary 106-page brochures provide more information. Still, Cain said that there may be a bit of a learning curve for Chicagoans. But he remains undeterred.
“People who were drinking Sanka 15 years ago are now lining up for premium fresh-ground coffee,” he said.
Can Earl Grey be far behind?
