Tea Shop Closings

A running list of permanent tearoom and tea merchant closures in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and the United States.

To add a business to this list email Dan Bolton ([email protected]) with details and a link to a news report, press release, or a Facebook page announcement. Tea Biz also publishes Tea Shop Obituaries that celebrate the life of tea businesses that have served their communities for five or more years. Owners are encouraged to share their experiences so that other shops will benefit.
Tea Shop obituaries are 350-word interviews illustrated with a photo.

CANADA

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), which represents 110,000 small ventures reported in April that 58% of members surveyed said they could not pay May rent without government assistance. Only 18% of small businesses indicated they are now open. The survey of 10,500 businesses was conducted April 17-19.

Victoria, British Columbia
Just Matcha Tea Shop (established 2013-2020)
Locations: 2021 Oak Bay Ave. | 544 Pandora Ave.
Tiffanie and Kip Home announced the temporary closure of their two tea shops in mid-March but could not make rent payments. Unable to reach an agreement with their landlord (who graciously deferred rent) they decided to close permanently in April after seven years, according to the Times Colonist. “I’m not going to triple my revenues when it opens again and you need to do that in order to cover the rent for the three months that you missed,” Kip told the newspaper. Kip said the company spent a lot of money in January and February restocking inventory and buying merchandise for the upcoming tourist season that relies heavily on cruise ship visitors and public events. The couple and their two business partners hope to one day reopen on Pandora Ave.

UNITED STATES

A National Restaurant Association survey of 6,500 restaurant operators found a 78% average drop in sales during the first week of April, compared with the same period last year. The U.S. restaurant industry lost 3 million jobs in March with sales plummeting by $25 billion. The association estimates that 44% of restaurant and cafes operators were forced to temporarily close in March with 3% permanently closed. The survey indicated 11% of respondents anticipate closing permanently due to the crisis. Sinensis Research reports that as of mid-April 31.7% of U.S. specialty tea businesses are temporarily closed with 2.3% closed permanently. In a report on the impact of COVID-19, founder Abraham Rowe estimates 9,200 layoffs. His survey of 1,600 shops showed that “81.8% of specialty tea businesses have laid off staff.”

Doylestown, Pennsylvania
The Zen Den (established 2011-2020)
Location: 41 E. State Street
Owner Annette Coletta announced the closing of the popular shop in April, according to the Doylestown Patch. The shop featured many live events and was favorite of artists and musicians. Coletta intended to sell the business and was in discussion with buyers when the coronavirus lockdown forced her to close the shop. On Facebook she wrote: “I have had some of the best years of my life here and made so many friends and acquaintances that I’m very grateful for having. What began as a way of coping with a personal crisis after a horrific car accident, has now ended through a global crisis. What began as an idea in someone with no business experience, The Zen Den grew to earn “The Best of Bucks/Mont” several years in a row—-I have more gratitude and pride than I can articulate—-I have ALL of you to thank!” Liquidation of inventory is planned by April 30. “I will go forward knowing that I gave it my EVERYTHING and ran an honest, ethical business for 9 years and that I did the best I could—-I have no regrets,” writes Coletta.

New Orleans, Louisiana
Coast Roast Coffee & Tea (established 2015-2020)
Locations: 2381 St. Claude Ave.| 801 Magazine St. (2018-2020)
Owner Kevin Pedeaux, a 12-year veteran with three shops in Louisiana and two in Mississippi closed the company’s St. Roach Market and Auction House Market locations in New Orleans but continues to operate the 3618 Magazine Street store which opened in 2019, according to a report in the Uptown Register. Service is limited to delivery, online order for pickup, and show and order-to-go. Pedeaux said in March he had to lay off 12 staff members but in April is back up to five. “It was personally a huge victory to get back to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours,” he told the newspaper.