MANHATTAN, New York
The Canadian tea retailer DavidsTea has opened its first two United States stores in New York City. The shops are located on the Upper East Side, at 1124 3rd Avenue and in Greenwich Village at 275 Bleecker Street. Both stores feature 120 varieties of loose leaf teas, which are sold in 50-gram pouches for $5-$20. The sleek stores are also stocked with a large selection of teapots, mugs, infusers, filters, travel mugs, and pitchers.
DavidsTea is one of the few shops in New York City to sell a cup of loose leaf tea brewed to order. The tea can be made either hot or iced and the price is $2.50 for any tea you order, even an organic oolong tea that sells for $20 for 50g.
Sarah Segal, Head of Product Development, said the company’s decision to open in New York City was based on customer feedback.
“A lot of customers come to our stores in Canada and say you should open here or there,” said Segal who is the daughter of the company’s co-founder Herschel Segal and David’s cousin, “we had a few cities in mind.” The company chose the two locations in Manhattan because “we really wanted our stores to be part of very vibrant communities” she said.
Expansion to a national chain of tea stores seemed destined for 25-year-old David Segal, founder of DavidsTea. Sales at the first Toronto store in 2008 quickly topped $3.8 million. Backed by retail veteran Herschel Segal, founder of Le Chateau clothing stores, the Mont-Royal, Quebec-based firm has since opened 69 locations.
Tea aficionados in the city are excited that David’s will be offering some harder to find teas like milk oolong and pu'erhs. “As NYC Tea drinkers, we are finally getting more options to choose from for our daily cup,” said Sara Shacket, of Tea Happiness blog.
Also in store for city tea lovers is a larger selection of straight teas and a special New York blend, according to Segal, who adds, “There is a flavor for everyone.”
For now the company has no immediate plans for more U.S. locations, but Segal says that it is a possibility for the future. “We are always looking, we’re always listening to what people are saying and keeping an open mind” she said.