The way people think about tea is changing. At least, that’s what the owners of Capital Teas are banking on.
Capital Teas, a Maryland-based regional chain with shops in the Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia areas, arrived in Charlottesville this summer. The Shops at Stonefield location opened its doors in August, and owner Manelle Martino said Charlottesville—despite being a small town crawling with coffee fanatics—is the perfect spot for a specialty tea shop.
“It’s a college town, and it’s the right demographic for us with young people and people who are interested in something nontraditional,” Martino said.
Martino, whose great-great-grandfather was one of the “early tea pioneers” in Sri Lanka in the 1800s, said it just made sense to go into the tea business when the opportunity came up seven years ago, despite the fact that the U.S. is not particularly tea-oriented.
“I figured it would be a great tradition to carry on in a country where tea is not so popular, and I was excited to make it more popular,” Martino said. “We are a coffee drinking culture, but that’s not to say it won’t change or evolve. We weren’t big wine drinkers or coffee connoisseurs 20 years ago, but now our palates have changed. We’re more educated on wine, beer, and coffee, and the same will be for tea.”
Part of the education process is helping people get up close and personal with the teas. More than 50 loose teas are displayed in glass jars along one of the walls in the sleek, contemporary shop, and general manager Gabe Ward said he encourages customers to pop off the lids and take a good whiff to get acquainted with the teas.
A coffee addict-turned-tea-drinker himself, Ward said he sees the tea movement picking up speed. He said common myths like tea being bitter and not having enough caffeine to get you through the day are slowly being debunked.
“Once I got enlightened on what tea actually is, I realized this is not your mom’s Lipton tea,” Ward said.
Charlottesville’s been home to the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, the downtown spot offering dozens of teas, hookah, Mediterranean food, and cozy atmosphere since 2002. Capital Teas couldn’t be more different, with its dark wood high tables and neatly displayed products on the stark black and white shelves. But both shops have the same end goal: to expose more people to teas from around the world.
“It’s never going to be as popular as coffee, because it’s just so entrenched in our culture,” said the Tea Bazaar’s Daniel Overstreet. “But it’s definitely picking up, and new people are becoming more interested in different teas.”
Capital Teas offers 46 types year-round, which range from the highly caffeinated black to the lighter greens and whites, plus a constantly rotating selection of seasonal flavored teas, like the current roasted almond (which is actually considered a tisane, since it doesn’t involve tea leaves) and caramel toffee pu-erh (a dark, fermented Chinese tea).
Black, green, and white teas all originate from the same leaf, and it all comes down to how it’s processed after harvesting. Like wine, where tea is grown can make a world of difference when it comes to flavor, and Capital Teas sources its teas from all over the globe: China, Japan, India, Kenya, Malawi.
“If you just focus on one region you wouldn’t be exposing the consumer to the multitude of varietals of tea,” Martino said. “It would be like if you only carried pinot noir in a wine store.”
Martino said she’s seen a shift in the tea world since entering the industry in 2007, and more and more young people are trading in their lattes for pu-erhs. Even her 7-year-old son can’t get enough hot tea, and is “obsessed with oolong.”
One of the goals of the shop is to come up with innovative ways to keep tea interesting to the consumer, without losing sight of the traditional, classic teas. For example, Tea Lager, a beer-enhancing sachet, is available in 10 different flavors, and the tea bags are designed to make a beer creamier, sweeter, and less filling. It’ll also add antioxidants and caffeine, which Martino said comes in handy at all-day beer-drinking events, especially during Oktoberfest season.
On Saturday, October 18, Capital Teas will set up a booth at Field Fest, an afternoon festival with live music in the green space next to Pasture. The Devils Backbone Brewing Company guys will be there too, so see what they think about one of Capital Teas’ newest products, the beer-enhancing tea bags.
High tea
We may not be in England, but you can still pick up a teacup in Charlottesville and feel like royalty. Here are a few local spots that offer classic high tea.
Keswick Hall
Served in Fossett’s Restaurant, Saturday afternoon tea includes the tea of your choice brewed in a silver teapot, warm scones, fruit, and pastries.
Boar’s Head Inn
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year, Boar’s Head offers Saturday and Sunday afternoon holiday tea, featuring sandwiches, scones, desserts, and a selection of six teas.
Clifton Inn
Served by the fire in the living room, Clifton’s afternoon tea, complimentary to guests, features Mighty Leaf brand teas and pastries.