Keeping any business afloat and successful is a challenge, but maintaining a well-respected establishment for 42 years deserves very special recognition. And when such a business closes suddenly, there are many who feel its loss deeply.
Tea Trekker
The Heisses opened their business in 1974 on Green Street in Northampton under the name Coffee Gallery. Although coffee was a passion, they also sold loose leaf tea. The shop later became Cooks Shop Here with a focus on specialty foods. A few years ago, the couple chose to focus exclusively on tea and rebranded as Tea Trekker. Ardent travelers, the Heisses frequently shared pictures from their sourcing trips on their Tea Trekker website. During these four decades of operations they gained respect and a loyal customer base for the excellent curation of their offerings. As one Yelp reviewer noted, “They take their work very seriously and stock the store with delicious and unusual products, that you would otherwise need to travel far and wide to see.”
It is no accident that The New York Times dubbed them, “The Professors of Tea.”
teatrekker.com