All that changed when I went to Teavana. Teavana is a tea bar/emporium whose name is meant to imply that it is the “heaven of tea.” I was aware of the store’s existence, and always enjoyed seeing the pretty tea accoutrements in its window as I passed by, but had never gone in.
Well, I was window shopping one evening, and was greeted at their entrance with an offering of tea. Of course I accepted, and from that first sip I was hooked. I sampled each tea they had available and each one was better than the last. Of course I had to buy some. After a tough deliberation, I decided to try four ounces of the tea that had brought me into the store in the first place, a delightful acai berry and tropical fruit-flavored white tea called Youthberry.
The salesperson opened a large canister of tea and I noticed that it looked nothing like any tea I had ever seen before. It looked more like an arrangement of dried fruits and herbs. I could actually identify the fruits that were in the tea.
This was a far cry from the tiny little particles of tea “dust” (as he so eloquently put it) that I was used to seeing in my tea bags.
The salesperson explained that loose teas are less processed, and retain their unique flavors and health benefits better than commercially produced bagged teas. This is quite logical when you consider that any whole food is healthier and more flavorful than its processed counterpart.
I took my canister home and immediately tried the tea in the little tea ball I already owned. The large pieces of fruits and tea leaves hardly fit into it, and I ended up with a mess, just like I did with my previous loose tea experience. I remembered seeing pretty tea infusers on Teavana’s shelves, so I figured that would be a better method for me than my little tea ball. Larger tea balls are available than the one I had, but since I like to have a few cups at a time, an infuser would brew a larger quantity than the ball.
Article comments
1 - Caleb
In my opinion Teavana is a little bit overpriced. You can find better teas for a bit cheaper if you dig around a bit. They're pretty commercial and fortune 500. But I do like that they're spreading awareness of tea... they're really opening up a market. So, props to to them. Anyone who spreads a liking for tea can't be too too bad in my book. ;)
2 - Rachael Pontillo
I agree that they are expensive...but they are consistent and accessible which is important, and if you compare their prices with how many cups of tea you get in their tins compared to some of the stuff you find in teabags at Whole Foods or other stores like that, it is pretty comparable. I will certainly do some digging though...thanks for your feedback!
3 - patty
like starbucks did for coffee drinks, teavana's spreading the word about loose tea, but at a cost.
we suggest folks shop a local tea shop instead!
4 - Rachael Pontillo
If people can find a local tea shop that is...they are not as common as coffee shops. Hopefully Teavana's marketing will encourage more local tea shops to open...