UPDATE: CLOSED
As of Fall 2020, David’s Tea has opted to close all 42 of its U.S. locations as well as over 100 of its Canadian locations. While it’s heartbreaking to see them go, I am glad they are able to make decisions to help keep the brand alive (and you can still buy their wonderful blends online). Please check out their official announcement here.
David’s Tea Boston Review
I’m gonna start this out with a major warning – J’ai un problème. I have a total love for David’s Tea. I’m not even ashamed to admit that this place gives me funny feelings, and I’m 90% sure some of the workers are considering a restraining order.
Ahem. So now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the nitty-gritty.
While I owe Teavana a lot for introducing me to a more advanced appreciation of tea, after a few bad sales experiences, I decided I wanted to look elsewhere for my main supply of loose-leaf and teaware. Boston being Boston, there are some high-quality places to go, but none that were convenient to my location (neither home nor work) until David’s Tea popped up downtown.
David’s is a retailer that’s rooted in Toronto and got its start when a young tea nerd (David!) and his cousin decided to meld talents and create a brand that’s fun, funky, and delicious. This all started in 2008, and since then it’s spread like an infused mushroom outbreak after a spring rainstorm across North America. They’re poppin’ up everywhere, and pretty much impressing just about everyone.
I chalk it up to their well-thought overall branding – they’ve got great marketing and social media presence; a modern style when it comes to their stores and wares; and an undeniable whimsy in their brand. I mean, anybody who can boldly name a blend “Brazillionaire” or “Kiwi’s Big Adventure” has got to be fun at parties, right? The popularity of tea among the young and hip[ster] is definitely on the rise, and I think David’s covers an interesting niche that had a vacancy. While lots of tea shops cater to an edgy, cozy, and Mother Earth aesthetic (and there certainly is nothing wrong with that), David’s is unapologetically trendy. Their style is clean and graphic, shamelessly bold, colorful, and bright. That has a lot of appeal.
Discovering David’s Tea came from three angles. First, a friend of mine bought me their limited edition Winter Collection for Christmas and told me I had to go. Second, I frequent reddit and David’s marketing team has a pretty strong presence in /r/tea. And lastly, I found the actual store by accident while pursuing a fling with another shameless love affair (I’m looking at you, Chipotle, my sweet, sweet addiction…) and saw they had sprung up across the street.
The downtown location is small but efficient. They’ve got a single display unit showcasing one or more of their products right at the start, and they’ve recently added some limited seating for customers to relax in. The store then becomes almost a narrow hall, with all the accessories, wares, and pre-measured teas and collections available to browse on the right, while the bulk teas are behind the counter to the left. Teas and their packaging are sorted by color for each type – black (black), green (green), mate (purple), white (off-white), infusions (yellow), rooibos (red), oolong (blue) and pu’erh (brown). This system is used cross-brand, from the bins to the catalogs, and makes it super easy (and fun) to find what you’re looking for.
The service is pretty good as well. Staffers are happy to allow customers to smell any of the blends they want and give a brief description of each. They are friendly and knowledgeable, and I’ve never come across anybody having a bad day or being rude.
Their sales methods can get a little zealous depending on who you talk to – they definitely try to subtly encourage purchasing of some of their other products, like the spoons or steepers, by demonstrating their use. Still, they’ve yet to cross over into pushy – and I think I notice it mostly because I’ve gone so much that I’ve heard the spiel a few times. They are gracious enough to back down from pitching if you tell them you’re just browsing, which is appreciated.
I have introduced many friends to David’s Tea, either by brewing a pot for gatherings or directly taking them the store and so far everybody has had happy experiences. I think it’s a great place and completely worth the trip if you’ve got one by you (though I can’t speak to the quality of other stores!). They also do free tastings of two blends every Sunday from 2-4, which is definitely worth stopping by to see!
David’s Tea – Downtown Boston • Yelp
Loose leaf by Volume • Pre-measured (loose-leaf, tins, bags) • Online retail
Sitting room • Cups To Go • Accessories
