In ancient China, the tea house was the center of community life. People gathered there to sip tea, chat, play games, read, and relax.  Tea houses are where friendships are formed, poetry written, and revolutions planned. 

Help us bring this elegant and refined culture to Austin, and create a community space where people can share tea right in the courtyard of Spider House. 

The spacious and beautiful grounds of this central Austin institution mimic the layout of classical Chinese tea houses.  Located in the heart of Austin, the tea house will serve farm-direct artisan teas by Austin's own West China Tea Company, purveyor to many of Austin's finest institutions including Practice Yoga, Odd Duck, Juiceland, HOPE Farmer's Market, and more.  

Austinites will be able to enjoy any of our dozens of rare gourmet teas by the pot, as well as hot and iced teas by the cup.  We will also provide specialized tea sets for the practice of gong fu cha, the Chinese art of tea service.  In addition to providing a venue for regular tea tastings, we will teach classes on gong fu cha, hold game nights, language corners, lectures, food pairings, poetry readings and other special events.  

For the past year and a half, West China Tea Company has been building the momentum to establish our own brick and mortar.  When the opportunity to open shop at Spider House, an Austin landmark, arose we knew we had found our space.  Now we just need some money to get it stocked and ready to serve - money for cups and teapots, kitchen equipment, a professional-grade water filter, kettles, a sign, and of course a dedicated tea inventory.  

Donors will be recognized for their contributions with exclusive tea swag including tea shirts (get it?), tea and teaware, VIP titles and endorsements, and one generous individual (or organization) will get to name our house herbal blend - a proprietary formula found nowhere else.  

All donations will go to funding the starting expenses of the tea house.  If we don't reach our goal, every bit received will help get us closer to getting our doors open and our kettles boiling.  If we go over our goal, we'll use the extra money to take the tea house to the next level - specifically, renovating the interior of the space to turn it from just a prep space to a secluded tea lounge with vinyl records, subdued lighting, and floor-level tables where people can practice the art of gong fu cha.  

Your contributions are going to help change Austin's culture.  Imagine a place where you could go to escape rush hour traffic with a refreshing pot of Su Mao Feng green tea, or enjoy a rich smoked Xiao Zhong black tea with friends on a cold night around a fire pit.  Austin, with its laid-back, eclectic culture, is the perfect place for a tea house.