If Tea is Hot - Why Are Tearooms Closing?
Today it happened. The tea rooms in my hometown closed. There is nothing worse than seeing a place of solace close its doors for lack of business.
A heavy, somber grief came upon me.
How can I teach people about the tea business when the tearooms in my own area are closing?
Well, I had tried...
I visited the tea room owners and offered my services for free. I wanted to help them stay afloat. It was important to me that my hometown have a tearoom.
But when I looked in the owners eyes and I could see it was already decided. It was over. No amount of wishing ,suggestions or encouragement could change things. The war had been lost. The retreat had been sounded.
This leads me to one question: "If Tea is So Hot.. Why Are Tea Rooms Closing?"
Here are some thoughts:
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It's Business not Pleasure
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Owning and operating a tea room has long been an American tradition. Tearooms became popular in the early 1900's providing the first viable "career" for American women. Tea rooms has long been the stuff of legends and dreams.
Pretty China
Soft Lace Tablecloths
Classical music
AND TONS OF LABOR Intensive WORK.
Unfortunately, most people who start tea rooms know little or nothing about tea, the tea industry and business in general. Often times a tea room owner spends their life savings starting their dream and skimps on little things like a business plan and heavy duty industry training.
You wouldn't wake up one day and decide to open a dry cleaning store if you didn't know anything about how to operate the equipment, get clients, etc. Why would you open a tea room without training?
This remains a tea time mystery.
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Capital For the Long Haul
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I once had a potential client contact me about starting a tea room. Her first sentences included the fact that she needed money immediately and that she didn't have enough to pay for my course.
Stop right there!
Owning and operating a tea room or a tea bar takes capital. Just like any other business, a tea room requires 3- 5 years of funding.
If you need a salary right now, you should not be opening a tea room. If you can't afford $397 to get training, you can't afford to start a tea room.
Seems basic right?
As the tea industry grows we are experiencing the changing of the guard. Out goes the untrained and unfunded and in comes business minded, highly fluid companies. It is as simple as that.
Progress means change.
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Life Changes and Life Style
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Owning a tea room is a very personal and very involved undertaking. Often times the owner of a tea room has a health crisis or a family situation which makes it impossible to continue giving themselves to their customers.
In addition, few tea room owners take time to analyze their own personal wants and desires.
Recently, I spoke with a tea room owner who secretly confessed that she "hated her tea room." She said she had opened it only because of pressure from clients in her gift store. "Where are they now?" she wailed.
Good question.
A successful tea room or tea business MUST be based on the owners heart's desire. Think through the process and find what you like and what you hate. Do what you love and avoid what you hate. Its as simple as that.
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Marketplace Mania
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A change is happening in the tea industry. It's growing up and getting smart. It no longer relies on tea alone to make all the profits. It is looking for friends in the marketplace. Here are some great examples:
Spas and Tea
Florists and Tea
Books and Tea
Music and Tea
or a combination of all of the above. Rent is high. How can you cut down your costs? A successful tea business owner must look to the market place and find help. Pooling customers, sharing mailings and diversifying your offerings is necessary for a tea business to survive.
In Summary,
The passing of a tea room is a sad thing. It means that someone's vision has died. But, a seed planted in the ground can still bear fruit. Learn from the tea rooms of yesterday and make your tea business successful today.
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by Lady Dawnya Sasse (reprinted from 2005)
Lady Dawnya is the author of the world's first online tea training course entitled "Start A Tea Business and Start A Childrens Tea Party Business. She is also the owner of Tea Events, a tea business training company based in Redmond, OR.
