The friendly staff are VERY helpful when you are trying to narrow down which tea (or teas) to try. I approve that there is a wide selection of loose and bag tea. They also have some great tea accouterments: tea balls, teapots, tea magazines.
Feels old world, like an antique store, only the stuff is new. Lots of clear containers behind the counter to see, smell and taste. And they have lots and lots of good bagged tea—most of the stuff that you won’t find in the supermarket, like Revolutions, Two Leaves and a Bud, Kusmi Tea, Ahmed, Numi, Republic of Tea, and others, as well as more varieties than you’ll find in the supermarket for brands like Stash and Bigelow. There’s several of the Brit’s favorites too, like PG tips and others.
There’s also quite a bit of tea “stuff”: British pots, Asian pots, novelty pots… Lots of teacups, measuring spoons and a few strainers. They also have coffee, spices, chocolate and a bit of cheese.
I must say I question the wisdom of keeping the tea and coffee in clear containers, though it does look nice. Still… I’ll be back.
This place is hard to find yet it’s been there 30 years! After 13 years living near Old Town I still walked right passed it. The sign is not obvious, but look for a small one that is just tucked in the window above your head. It’s at 215 So. Union in the “Carriage” shops. About a half block south of the Christmas Attic and on the same side of the street.
As a newbie still learning about tea I’m lucky to have this local shop so close by. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and well trained by the two owners – a husband and wife. They have a wonderful selection and are always excited to show you the latest and greatest in stock.
When we lived in Alexandria, we’d stop in almost every week. When we moved to Colorado we continued to buy our tea from Old Town Coffee Tea and Spice. The staff is tremendously knowledgeable and their local mixtures are fabulous. We love their Gadsby’s Blend, named after the nearby Gadsby’s Tavern. If you are in the area it is worth a trip, and for us, worth the mail order cost. They don’t have a web site or online ordering so you have to call. Still it is worth it!
