Teahouse at Clifton Square to bring international teas and tea traditions to Wichita

Haley Heter acknowledges that this is not the easiest time to be opening a new business, but that’s what she and business partner Cat Lonc plan to do with the Teahouse at Clifton Square.

“My parents are like, ‘What are you doing?’ “ Heter said.

“We just want to invest in the economy and invest in Wichita. I just love this town.”

They both also particularly love tea.

“It kind of brings people together,” Heter said. “We really like the whole ambiance of a tea house where you go and you gather.”

When they saw the former Clifton Collective building at Clifton Square at 3700 E. Douglas, Heter said, “That’s exactly a teahouse.”

The two have traveled extensively and lived in other countries where they learned to appreciate a variety of teas. They want their Teahouse to have an international flair.

“I’m hoping to have formal high tea, like a British traditional tea,” Heter said.

They also plan to hold Japanese tea ceremonies and serve a special Brazilian green tea called matcha, which has a tea leaf ground up in it.

The Teahouse will sell loose-leaf tea from around the world, tea accessories and prepackaged food, such as biscotti and muffins. They’ll be able to serve anything with hot water, such as noodles, but they won’t have a stove.

The space seats about 25, and there will be a patio out front for more seating.

Ben Gartner of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal.

Teahouse is a play on a couple of areas of emphasis for the business, Heter said.

“It’s about the tea, but it’s also about the heart and home,” she said.

“Tea is definitely a symbol of gathering and friendship, so that’s where the heart part comes in. It’s a house where people can gather at but also buy housewares.”

There will be some housewares for sale, such as pillows and vases.

Heter and Lonc had hoped to open in early June, but there have been some delays. Heter said construction is surprisingly busy right now.

Before they can open, Heter said they also need to figure out how to practice social distancing in the small space. She said she’s confident they can do it. Heter is confident all around.

“We believe that Wichita’s going to recover eventually. I just still have a lot of confidence that it’s going to be fine.”

This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 1:11 PM.