[alexophile]

Tony - I never thought I'd say this on HN, but you should totally open up a brick and mortar store. There's so few places in Chicago to go and get good loose leaf tea, shipping seems silly (I live <1 mile away), and a great tea shop is such a cool thing to have around. There's all sorts of empty storefronts (one under my place, even) just begging for something interesting.

I guess "you should" is the wrong language. Perhaps supplant with "it would be incredibly inconvenient but way cool if you were to"

[acgourley]

Adagio has opened 2 B&M locations nearby, http://www.adagio.com/stores/

I think their retail model is actually really interesting, and their blog is very transparent about the realities of the business: http://www.tearetailer.com/

[temugen]

There are a few nice places around Chicago. Have you been to Ten Ren?

Edit: Most of the places in the child comments are great too. I'd personally try to avoid Teavana, though. From my experience, they take low grade teas and sell them for a much higher price for the masses. I've also seen paint come off of some teaware there with little effort.

[tony584]

Ten Ren is way overpriced. IMO the best one in Chicago is Todd and Holland.

[tptacek]

Do you not like Todd & Holland? I live down the street from it and it seems pretty awesome to me.

[alexophile]

I've never been to T&H, my work schedule doesn't really jive with their hours (they close at 6 m-w and aren't open on Sundays). But how's the vibe there? It always looked to me like a snooty wine shop, but for tea. Having worked in a moderately snooty wine shop, I would really rather go somewhere a little more genuine.

Its hard to explain rationally without sounding like a hipster, but I think I just got spoiled by the really cool tea shop I used to go to at school - it was like the kind of place you would find an ancient artifact of untold power in the corner behind a dusty basket of chocolate bars.

Not that that's the only kind of tea shop I would go to, but it really felt like a place owned by people who got it: they stayed open past their posted hours and when you walked in, whoever was working (there was a grand total of 4 people that worked there over the five years I went) would acknowledge you casually and never talk about product unless it really seemed like you wanted to.

I guess now I have to try it...

[tptacek]

They could not be less snooty. Bill Todd works retail at the store. There are shelves lined with what I imagine must be over a hundred different varieties of tea, arranged by type, packaged in small pouches and larger containers ready to take to the checkout, in front of a wall of much larger containers of other teas. You can walk in and pick things out by reading the pouches, or, if you signal the slightest bit of interest, Bill Todd will explain tea to you for as long as you could conceivably listen and (I've watched them do this for people but never asked myself) brew some up on the spot for taste tests.

Remember: their most common customer is "random person walking down Madison street in Forest Park".

[Shooter]

My testimonial:

I, a random person, was walking down Madison one day when I found the Todd and Holland store. Bill Todd spent over an hour introducing me to some white teas that were new to me, including providing taste tests. He was extraordinarily nice and I found a new favorite white while I was there. I can find tea I like cheaper online, but I am happy to pay a small premium on occasion just for his expertise. I sold my home in Oak Park, so I don't get in there as often as I would like anymore - but I can definitely recommend them as a great local merchant that knows their stuff. Unlike the mall shops where the staff tend to know little to nothing about tea.

[tony584]

Thanks Alex, I sincerely hope to in the future, but it isn't in the cards for a few years! We do tastings in Chicago however, I can put you on the list if you send me your email: [e-mail]

[andyangelos]

Bourgeois Pig has a decent selection of teas, including the Theanine heavy Gyokuro, but they don't sell in bulk. Their baristas might be able to tell you where they buy from though - assuming it is local.

I've purchased some decent Silver Needle at Coffee and Tea Exchange in Lakeview - but the prices are a little high.