CRESTVIEW — A collection of fanciful hats still lines the walls, but the boas, scones and sandwiches are gone. The Baron’s Tea Shop has dropped the “shop” in its name to focus on tea and tea service sales.
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The store started online tea sales last year after customers — many of them military families — who moved from the Crestview area called about purchasing teas for delivery to their new homes and overseas military addresses. “We actually increased our retail sales,” owner Erica Teets said. “About a third of our sales was tea. We had people coming in just to buy tea, and we had a lot of people asking if we ship to APOs. And we do.”
Reluctantly, she closed one of Okaloosa County's last two tea rooms to focus on sales of tea, tea cups, tea sets, teapots, cozies, strainers and other items. “It was hard to do both the tea room and blend tea,” Teets said. “I concentrate on making small batches, blending them fresh.”
With more than 50 varieties of tea and tisane — often called “herbal tea” but without tea leaves — available at Teets' store, she offers lessons in tea culture, whether in person or at www.baronstea.com. “I’ve been doing blogs about the chemistry of tea,” she said. “Water temperature does make a difference.”
Some of the store's more exotic selections include a Lapsong Souchong that is roasted over a pine fire and has a smoky aroma, and Pu-erh Tuocha, a mini cake of compressed tea that expands in hot water and can be brewed several times. House blends include Teets’ Baron’s Special Blend, French Crème Brûlée, and Strawberry Rose Blend.
Teets plans to include tea tastings and tea classes, and a pilot program later this summer to introduce the three most popular teas in pyramid-shaped bags that allow leaves to expand and release more flavor than flat teabags.
“I’m trying to encourage people to have tea parties at home,” Teets said.
WANT TO VISIT?
The Baron’s Tea.com is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 314 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview. Call 398-8783 or see www.baronstea.com for more details.
AVAILABLE TEAS
The Barons Tea owner Erica Teets is proud that the three teas she custom blends in her South Ferdon Boulevard shop are among the best-selling in her shop. Of more than 50 varieties offered, these are the most popular:
Baron’s Gold Tea (broken orange pekoe, highest antioxidant)
Buckingham Palace Tea (same blend enjoyed by Queen Elizabeth II and guests in palace garden teas)
Earl Grey tea (Chinese and Indian blend with citrus bergamot)
Earl Grey Cream Tea (vanilla creaminess counters the bergamot)
Baron’s Special Blend (Ceylon with strawberry, peach and apricot medley)
Chai Vanilla Tea (Ceylon blend with spices and a touch of vanilla)
French Blend Tea (Ceylon with dried lavender and caramel)
Heaven’s Perfect Peach tea Ceylon, peach and apricot blend)
Snowflake Tea (Ceylon blended with almond and hint of coconut)
Strawberry Sensation Tea (Baron’s house blend of strawberry and rose)
Japanese Sweet Cherry Blossom (green tea with cherry and rose)
Joyful Jasmine (green tea with flowery bouquet)
Lady Hannah’s (caffeine-free herbal tea of whole dried fruit)
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview tea shop sales reach around the world