Text by Britt Stafford
Photography by John O’Hagan
Straddling the Kansas-Missouri border, Kansas City might be considered a surprising hub for tea drinkers. The metropolis, home to the annual Midwest Tea Festival, which this year takes place in September each year, offers a cache of venues for people to shop for or enjoy a lovely cuppa. From British-themed shops to a French-inspired tearoom to antiques stores with accompanying tearooms, here are a handful of the remarkable businesses to experience in this Midwestern city.
502 W. Main Street • Greenwood, Missouri 64034
816-537-8434
A wonderful surprise awaits those who venture to the antiques shopping district in Greenwood, Missouri. In addition to a plethora of places to shop, the Greenwood Country Tearoom is a charming venue with seasonal décor and an intimate feel.
Brenda Barner never imagined her fond childhood memories of cooking with her mom and grandmother would someday lead her to own her own tearoom. After leaving a job at another local restaurant, Brenda, along with her daughter, Vanessa Fahle, decided to acquire the Greenwood Country Tearoom in 2013. Following a successful five-year run as tearoom owners, the mother-daughter team received word that the Greenwood Antique Mall in which the tearoom resided was set to close its doors. After much deliberation, the duo decided to rent out the building, renaming it the Greenwood Vintage Market, saving both the tearoom and the antiques store.
Greenwood Country Tearoom is open for afternoon tea and lunch Monday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Reservations for afternoon tea are required at least 48 hours in advance.
510 Delaware Street • Leavenworth, Kansas 66048
913-680-189
Just west of the Missouri River in Leavenworth, Kansas, in a building marked by an awning lined with several Union Jacks, Queen’s Pantry Teas offers a myriad of tea wares and teas for tea lovers of all types.
Owners Kathy and Kevin Gentzler didn’t set out to own a teashop. Their 20-year dream to own a business serendipitously fell into their laps when they learned the store at which their daughter w
orked was closing. A somewhat facetious comment from her that they should buy Queen’s Pantry turned into a life-changing decision for the parents. “We were 
Since taking over Queen’s Pantry Teas on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5, 2011, not only has Kathy’s knowledge and appreciation for the beverage grown, so has the store’s selection. Stored in glass jars, more than 160 teas that line the wall of the shop, and Kathy welcomes and encourages guests to smell the leaves to get an idea of what flavors to expect. In addition to the store’s two best-selling blends—Cinnamon Orange Spice and Carrot Cake Rooibos—Queen’s Pantry also has its own signature tea, Rachel’s Evening Blend, a decaffeinated green tea with hints of lavender and spearmint. “To have as many choices as we have is pretty unique,” Kathy comments, “particularly here in the Midwest.”
Queen’s Pantry Teas is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
2450 Grand Boulevard Suite 106 • Kansas City, Missouri 64108
816-421-2588
When Zehua Shang moved to the United States from China 18 years ago, he found himself craving good tea but was having a hard time finding any. “I just love tea so much. It was the only drink with flavor in my childhood,” Shang says. “We grew up having no juice, no milk, and no bottled drinks. The only thing we could drink was water or tea.”
In 2005, he opened a home-based business, initially selling a few teas, teapots, and homemade jade jewelry. In 2007, Shang expanded his business by partnering with two of his teachers to own a tea farm in the Fujian mountains, and opening a tea house in downtown Kansas City. All teas sold in the shop are personally dried and sourced from farms in China owned by Shang’s close friends, such as Cai Chen Xiao 
To accompany any of the teas in the teahouse, guests can choose from five food options—many of them delicacies from Shandong Province in China, where Shang spent his childhood. These include specialties like Chai Chicken Soup, Sprout Salad, and Moon Cakes. “We like simple; we like healthy; and we like quality,” he says.
Shang Tea is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m.
8131 Wornall Road • Kansas City, Missouri 64114
816-225-9393
One important lesson Émilie Jackson’s world travels taught her is tea is a universal beverage that brings people together. Having lived in four different countries prior to settling down in the United States, her knowledge and experience of teas and different customs was something she wished eventually to share with others. When she moved in Kansas City to live with her husband, Alex, she decided to make her lifelong dream to own a tearoom a reality. Combining her French upbringing and love for the beverage, she opened Emilie’s French Teas. “I had been raised around tea and have always loved tea,” Émilie says. “I used to go to tearooms with my mother, and she’s the one who introduced me to tea when I was little.”
Trying to recreate the memories she has of teatime with her mother, the calming and simplistic ambiance of the tearoom—or salon de thé—features French décor and is adorned with photos from Émilie and Alex’s global adventures. While the business is housed in the same building as the Centered Spirit, a cultural and holistic center Alex 
In addition to the fine service of the tearoom, Émilie offers classes on the different tea rituals practiced around the world, hoping her students will use this knowledge to relate to others. “The way I teach, tea is about relaxing, whether you come alone and have your down time, or just bring a friend,” Émilie says. “Sometimes people who don’t know each other get to meet others. It’s really about connection.”
The tearoom is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
9 W. Franklin Street • Liberty, Missouri 64068
816-792-8777
An impressive selection of teas and tea wares await those who venture into the brick building that houses Anna Marie’s Teashop. The business, located just off the main square in Liberty, Missouri, has vastly evolved since owner Brenda Hedrick started selling teas more than 20 years ago. Despite owning a design studio at the time, she decided to embark in this new endeavor after learning of the numerous health benefits of the beverage. “In 1983, I started having health issues from allergies that just drove me crazy. I did some research and decided that tea was the way to go,” Brenda recalls.
Originally called Anna Marie’s Gifts and Antiques, the store—named in honor of Brenda’s great-grandmother, Anna Marie Bohnet—has expanded its selection from the original 30 teas to almost 100. A family-owned business, Anna Marie’s Teashop is run by three generations of Brenda’s family. Both her daughter, Sarah Mathews, and her granddaughter, Molly Gates, work in the shop and help blend many of the teas sold.
In lieu of a daily tea service, Brenda hosts a monthly tea party in her circa 1913 home, just a few blocks from the shop. Festively themed for the season, each by-reservation-only event is designed to serve as a respite from everyday life and allow people the chance to connect with fellow tea enthusiasts. “Guests are coming to my home and having tea. I want them to be happy, and I want these parties to be a break from this crazy world we live in,” Brenda says.
Anna Marie’s Teashop is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
329 E. 55th Street • Kansas City, Missouri 64113
816-822-9832
While on a personal journey toward a healthier lifestyle, Stacie Robertson discovered and fell in love with tea. She was disheartened when she couldn’t find a place to purchase quality tea in her community, but she quickly decided to turn her disappointment into her personal and professional mission by opening the Tea Market in 2002. “It has been wonderful to watch as people have developed an interest in tea and its many health benefits,” Stacie, a certified tea specialist and holistic health coach, remarks.
A special line of teas Stacie created, which she calls her Functional Wellness Teas, is part of the impressive assemblage of more than 100 teas available for purchase at Tea Market. “They’re kind of my ‘first aid kit’ of teas,” she says.
Rather than sell antique china teapots and teawares, Stacie prefers to offer pieces she considers more functional to the overall tea-drinking experience. She also offers tea-education classes and private consultations to help people learn how to find and brew the perfect tea for each individual. “I want to sell something that people pull out every day and enhances their leaf life, making it simple, easy, and doable,” Stacie explains. “I don’t want people to buy tea and have it sit on a shelf because they think it’s too much trouble. I always say that the healthiest tea is the one you love to drink, because if you don’t love it, you won’t drink it.”
Customers can visit Tea Market Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
929 Massachusetts Street • Lawrence, Kansas 66044
785-843-2288
When childhood friends Sally Helm and Susie Pryor initially opened their store in 1995, they approached it as a mystery book store with some British paraphernalia. Over the past 20 years, they have watched the appropriately named Brits morph into an Anglophile’s dream as a full-blown British goods market. The Lawrence, Kansas, shop is a wonderful destination for those with an enthusiasm for tea and all things British.
“My thought was always, you can’t go a day without being touched by something British; even things you might not think,” Sally comments. “We weren’t just looking for the British market when we started. I thought this had appeal to everyone. Its food, tea, biscuits . . . everyday items I think people would be interested in.”
The great selection of fare and treats at Brits includes an ample collection of British and Irish teas. With brands such as Taylors of Harrogate, Tregothnan, Twinings, and Ahmad, customers can easily stock up on some of their favorite British teas, as well as different sweets and condiments that are a great accompaniment for teatime. For those who can’t make the journey to the small Kansas town, a majority of the products sold in-store are also available online.
“[Customers] are going to find everything from the tea itself to how they can drink it to food to enjoy with it,” Sally says. “Along with football [soccer] scarves.”
Brits is open Monday through Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Other Places Of Interest…
401 SE Douglas Street
Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64063
816-524-0057
After perusing the vintage furniture, antiques, jewelry, collectibles, and other finds available at Henry’s Antiques, which is housed in a converted church, customers will find a delightful spot for lunch in the store’s tearoom. Each month, owner Charla Henry crafts a menu of seasonal fare, from which diners can choose an entrée, a side, a dessert, and pot of tea for $16.95 per person. Reservations are strongly encouraged for the tearoom, which is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
7911 Santa Fe Drive • Overland Park, Kansas 66204
913-948-9559
Clock Tower Bakery is a must for those with a sweet tooth. Among the many impressive pastries available to enjoy is an exciting selection of macarons. The venue also serves an authentic British-style afternoon tea for $19.95 per person, which includes assorted savories, scones with clotted cream and jam, desserts, and the tea of your choice. Reservations are required for afternoon tea. The bakery is open Monday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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