Samovar Tea Lounge - by Jesse Jacobs
Founded in San Francisco in 2001, Samovar Tea Lounge is seeking to change the tea industry, not with a brutal upheaval, but by re-introducing the forgotten human element.
The Samovar Tea Lounge was born from the realization that our society is focused on the wrong things. We try to so hard to be good students, to please our parents and teachers, to find security in a good career, perfect spouse, perfect kids, perfect body. Our need for security creates all these market forces where people end up becoming seduced by products that claim to give us short cuts to the good life. Along the way, we become addicted to quick fixes that don’t change anything. It’s like the image of the snake eating itself. Because we can’t see the overwhelming abundance of the present moment, we consume what we can see — ourselves.
I spent years living the corporate dream and for me it was not fulfilling. I wanted to make a difference in the world by helping people remember what it is to be human.
Samovar is an alternate reality. A place where we can step out of the rat race. A place where we invite people to slow down, to inhabit the present moment, to disconnect in order to connect.
Samovar Tea Lounge is so proud to be able to offer a retreat from the rat race, an escape from information addiction.We’re about enjoying the basic goodness of being present in the moment.
People come in for the delicious, healthy food and drink. They leave with their spirits elevated, nourished, and re-energized. When I started Samovar Tea Lounge I realized that tea would be the perfect vehicle to satisfy just what the world neeeded today: to slow down, unplug, and wake up.
Sourcing Tea
We’ve been in business for more than 10 years and in that time have made amazing relationships with artisan tea farmers around the world. From China, to India and Japan, these tea farmers have committed themselves to preserving an ancient art, and helping the planet along the way. Tea farming is a hard life, but a good life. We source almost entirely organic products which means more sustainable practices, and a better product. The whole chain benefits.
One of my favorite farms is this little place in Hawaii. A couple started the farm in Volcano Village after leaving their dead end jobs in New York City. I’ve spent quite a bit of time there and it’s amazing. You really see that tea is real food. Picked by hand from the Camellia Sinensis bush and then laid out to dry, cooked, rolled, even packed in dirt and aged like wine. The whole experience is amazing. The tea is only available in small batches and we try to buy them up as soon as we can because our customers really love it. I’m so proud to be a part of the chain that support farmers like them.
Creating Tea Masters
The real secret to our employee success is in the attitude. We need and love people who are passionate about tea, but even more, passionate about connecting with our customers. Everyone appreciates a little authentic attention, and caring. And that’s what separates our staff from the typical restaurant or coffee shop.
With a little time you can teach anyone to appreciate tea, the origins, the processing differences, the food pairings. But to teach someone to genuinely care about a total stranger, that can take lifetimes.
We host corporate holiday parties, wedding showers, wedding receptions, baby showers, family reunions, you name it. Because Samovar Tea Lounge is a place where people can experience the joy of being human in the here and now. Alone or with friends. Being present and being truly connected. And tea is vehicle that makes it all possible.
Learn more about Samovar Tea Lounge.
Learn more about their wholesale operations.
The Samovar Tea Lounge was born from the realization that our society is focused on the wrong things. We try to so hard to be good students, to please our parents and teachers, to find security in a good career, perfect spouse, perfect kids, perfect body. Our need for security creates all these market forces where people end up becoming seduced by products that claim to give us short cuts to the good life. Along the way, we become addicted to quick fixes that don’t change anything. It’s like the image of the snake eating itself. Because we can’t see the overwhelming abundance of the present moment, we consume what we can see — ourselves.
I spent years living the corporate dream and for me it was not fulfilling. I wanted to make a difference in the world by helping people remember what it is to be human.
Samovar is an alternate reality. A place where we can step out of the rat race. A place where we invite people to slow down, to inhabit the present moment, to disconnect in order to connect.
Samovar Tea Lounge is so proud to be able to offer a retreat from the rat race, an escape from information addiction.We’re about enjoying the basic goodness of being present in the moment.
People come in for the delicious, healthy food and drink. They leave with their spirits elevated, nourished, and re-energized. When I started Samovar Tea Lounge I realized that tea would be the perfect vehicle to satisfy just what the world neeeded today: to slow down, unplug, and wake up.
Sourcing Tea
We’ve been in business for more than 10 years and in that time have made amazing relationships with artisan tea farmers around the world. From China, to India and Japan, these tea farmers have committed themselves to preserving an ancient art, and helping the planet along the way. Tea farming is a hard life, but a good life. We source almost entirely organic products which means more sustainable practices, and a better product. The whole chain benefits.
One of my favorite farms is this little place in Hawaii. A couple started the farm in Volcano Village after leaving their dead end jobs in New York City. I’ve spent quite a bit of time there and it’s amazing. You really see that tea is real food. Picked by hand from the Camellia Sinensis bush and then laid out to dry, cooked, rolled, even packed in dirt and aged like wine. The whole experience is amazing. The tea is only available in small batches and we try to buy them up as soon as we can because our customers really love it. I’m so proud to be a part of the chain that support farmers like them.
Creating Tea Masters
The real secret to our employee success is in the attitude. We need and love people who are passionate about tea, but even more, passionate about connecting with our customers. Everyone appreciates a little authentic attention, and caring. And that’s what separates our staff from the typical restaurant or coffee shop.
With a little time you can teach anyone to appreciate tea, the origins, the processing differences, the food pairings. But to teach someone to genuinely care about a total stranger, that can take lifetimes.
We host corporate holiday parties, wedding showers, wedding receptions, baby showers, family reunions, you name it. Because Samovar Tea Lounge is a place where people can experience the joy of being human in the here and now. Alone or with friends. Being present and being truly connected. And tea is vehicle that makes it all possible.
Learn more about Samovar Tea Lounge.
Learn more about their wholesale operations.