NEW YORK CITY, NY
Some very familiar faces: John, Paul, George and Ringo, greet you as you enter Physical GraffiTea, a small tea shop on St. Marks Place in New York’s East Village.
The portraits of The Beatles, done by local artist David Greene, are surrounded by brightly colored teapots and face a wall stacked with shiny tea canisters. Though the name of the shop and the décor may seem a little odd, the references fit the location’s rock & roll past. The building that houses this shop was featured on the cover of English rock legend Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti album, and The Rolling Stones filmed Keith Richards and Mick Jager in the music video “Walking With a Friend” on the stoop outside.
Music aficionados still make the trek to the iconic address, and when they wander into the 400 sq. ft. emporium in the basement, owner Illana Malka entices them with her selection of 200 teas, herbs and tisanes sold by the ounce, pot or to go. Those needing a pick me up are steered toward an energizing Matcha Super Green or a Kava Kava herbal infusion. It may not be what you’d expect in a neighborhood that’s famous for grungy dive bars but as a famous musician who once hung around these streets once said “The Times They Are A-Changin.”
The store marks a change for Malka, who sold upscale vintage clothing to rock stars and fashionistas in a shop called Physical Graffiti, in the same location, for 17 years. When a tea salon called Sympathy for the Kettle opened on the same block in 2003, it would have a transforming effect on her life.
After befriending the salon’s owner, Jodi Holiday, and helping her out in her cafe, Malka, a lifelong coffee drinker, slowly became intrigued by the many varieties and smells of the loose leaf teas.
“I started learning about them, and I became fascinated” she said, “I started tasting different kinds and falling in love with teas.”
The health benefits of the beverage also appealed to Malka, especially after she became pregnant with her daughter. “It’s a very natural way to take care of yourself,” she said.
Sympathy for The Kettle closed three years ago and Malka was growing tired of the hard work it took to constantly refill her stock of antique threads. She imagined a business that would fit into her lifestyle with her young daughter more holistically and decided to capitalize on her interest in tea. After a renovation, Physical GraffiTea opened in the summer of 2011. The name was a perfect fit.
Besides curious tourists, customers include many locals that, like her, are attracted to the drink's beneficial properties. “People are switching over, they are looking to live life healthier and tea helps” she said. Guests can sit at one of the six tables and have a freshly brewed pot ($5-$7.50) or buy the teas in 2 oz. to 1 pound bags or canisters. Teas range from $3.75 for Rooibos to $19.25 for Golden Monkey. She says 98% are organic and about 70% are fair trade certified.
To bolster up retail sales, Malka sells a small assortment of baked goods, including tea-infused biscuits and a flourless chocolate cake sourced from a local bakery. The brightly colored teapots framing The Fab Four’s lovely faces are also for sale ($12.50 – 18.50) as are a selection of infusers and strainers ($6-$8.50).
Malka has also just started selling some of her teas through her website. She hopes to expand her online offerings as well as add tea accessories.
Her efforts are beginning to pay off, she says. The renovation was costly and left her no money for advertising or marketing. She uses social media and an old fashioned sidewalk sandwich board to get the word out about new arrivals and special events. She holds informal tea parties and tastings where an employee acts as DJ, and tea cocktails and biscotti are served.
The beverage’s higher profile of late as curative also helps gets people in the door. After a recent Dr. Oz show where he talked about the remedial assets of the brew, customers came in looking for pu-erh and white tea. “People have come into the store and told me they want to cut down on coffee,” she said. “It starts with the tea and then they become more aware of what they eat and how they live their life.”
The shop’s incarnation also reflects the area’s transformation. “It’s changed for the better, it’s cleaner and nicer,” Malka said of her East Village nabe. Neighborhood residents are following suit and revamping their lifestyles to include the restorative drink.
Surely, John, Paul, George and Ringo would approve.
Music aficionados still make the trek to the iconic address, and when they wander into the 400 sq. ft. emporium in the basement, owner Illana Malka entices them with her selection of 200 teas, herbs and tisanes sold by the ounce, pot or to go. Those needing a pick me up are steered toward an energizing Matcha Super Green or a Kava Kava herbal infusion. It may not be what you’d expect in a neighborhood that’s famous for grungy dive bars but as a famous musician who once hung around these streets once said “The Times They Are A-Changin.”
The store marks a change for Malka, who sold upscale vintage clothing to rock stars and fashionistas in a shop called Physical Graffiti, in the same location, for 17 years. When a tea salon called Sympathy for the Kettle opened on the same block in 2003, it would have a transforming effect on her life.
After befriending the salon’s owner, Jodi Holiday, and helping her out in her cafe, Malka, a lifelong coffee drinker, slowly became intrigued by the many varieties and smells of the loose leaf teas.
“I started learning about them, and I became fascinated” she said, “I started tasting different kinds and falling in love with teas.”
The health benefits of the beverage also appealed to Malka, especially after she became pregnant with her daughter. “It’s a very natural way to take care of yourself,” she said.
Sympathy for The Kettle closed three years ago and Malka was growing tired of the hard work it took to constantly refill her stock of antique threads. She imagined a business that would fit into her lifestyle with her young daughter more holistically and decided to capitalize on her interest in tea. After a renovation, Physical GraffiTea opened in the summer of 2011. The name was a perfect fit.
Besides curious tourists, customers include many locals that, like her, are attracted to the drink's beneficial properties. “People are switching over, they are looking to live life healthier and tea helps” she said. Guests can sit at one of the six tables and have a freshly brewed pot ($5-$7.50) or buy the teas in 2 oz. to 1 pound bags or canisters. Teas range from $3.75 for Rooibos to $19.25 for Golden Monkey. She says 98% are organic and about 70% are fair trade certified.
To bolster up retail sales, Malka sells a small assortment of baked goods, including tea-infused biscuits and a flourless chocolate cake sourced from a local bakery. The brightly colored teapots framing The Fab Four’s lovely faces are also for sale ($12.50 – 18.50) as are a selection of infusers and strainers ($6-$8.50).
Malka has also just started selling some of her teas through her website. She hopes to expand her online offerings as well as add tea accessories.
Her efforts are beginning to pay off, she says. The renovation was costly and left her no money for advertising or marketing. She uses social media and an old fashioned sidewalk sandwich board to get the word out about new arrivals and special events. She holds informal tea parties and tastings where an employee acts as DJ, and tea cocktails and biscotti are served.
The beverage’s higher profile of late as curative also helps gets people in the door. After a recent Dr. Oz show where he talked about the remedial assets of the brew, customers came in looking for pu-erh and white tea. “People have come into the store and told me they want to cut down on coffee,” she said. “It starts with the tea and then they become more aware of what they eat and how they live their life.”
The shop’s incarnation also reflects the area’s transformation. “It’s changed for the better, it’s cleaner and nicer,” Malka said of her East Village nabe. Neighborhood residents are following suit and revamping their lifestyles to include the restorative drink.
Surely, John, Paul, George and Ringo would approve.