The Tea Experience in Central Michigan

TRANQUILITEA
904 W. Ann Arbor Trail • Plymouth, MI 48170
734-459-9686 • tranquiliteashop.com

A minute’s walk from Sweet Afton, you’ll find Colleen Cannon’s tea shop, Tranquilitea. Eight years ago, this former art director left the corporate world to start her own small business. She and husband Pat love to travel, and on one trip, they stumbled upon a tearoom in Franklin, Tennessee. Colleen was smitten. The proprietors gladly shared their expertise, and she headed back to Plymouth with a plan.

The Cannons found the perfect location for their shop—the historic downtown area, just steps from Kellogg Park. In the renovated storefront, customers are greeted with beautifully styled shelves featuring brightly colored Polish pottery, more than 150 types of tea, and a sign that invites them to “open jars and sniff.” Colleen understands her patrons’ curiosity, and she knows that “one sniff will sell it,” especially with the more unusual flavors, like Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, Heavenly Hazelnut, and Coconut Kiss. The shop also hosts fun monthly events, like the Green Chai Tea Throwdown and the Pumpkin Palooza.

Colleen keeps current in her field by attending the World Tea Expo, and she maintains great relationships with the vendors she has met there, some of whom have made custom blends for her. “I love looking for new teas and products and introducing them to my customers,” says Colleen. “They just get so excited!”