A Brave New Chapter

Back in time….

The date is April 7th 1998.  It is 10 am at the local branch of the Caisse Populaire bank in the small town of Repentigny.

Loan Officer: ‘So you want to open a…teahouse?’
Hugo: ‘Yes, I was travelling in Europe and I saw this interesting concept in Prague.  Here’s my business plan.
Loan Officer: ‘ That’s interesting.  My wife and I love drinking tea at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant’
Hugo quietly thinks:  ‘Bingo!’

Who would have believed that 22 years later Camellia Sinensis would have become one of the World’s most specialized and respected tea companies?  Or that we would be working with an expansive network of tea makers and artisans of Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Africa.  Or that our teas, teaware and publications would be sold through our stores, website and wholesalers to tea enthusiasts around the globe.

And who would have believed, or could have predicted, that 22 years later a pandemic would turn the World upside down changing the way we live in so many ways? None of us saw that one coming!

Along with most other businesses, adapting to the many facets of this new situation, Camellia Sinensis has had to re-structure and reinvent itself to survive.   Had this been simply been a one or two months event would have weathered it out and carried on as before.  But now, after more than a year, we have come to realize that we will have to cut free a part of the company that is very close to all our hearts. We have decided to close the Emery Teahouse.  Venue for those very humble beginnings to the story, a magic place that has been so special for us, as it has for so many of you.  An exceptional sanctuary of meeting, discovery and sharing like no other.  

In the very first months of the pandemic we began to make contingency plans to protect the company against the changing environment.  Adaptation was the only answer and, as time went on, we decided to see this as an opportunity to innovate and move forward into a new phase for Camellia Sinensis.  So over the winter we have been discussing a new concept for Emery Street.

In early 2022 we hope to present a new space, offering a completely different client experience, a location where tea tasting and discovery are at the core of each visit.  Naturally the Tea School and our passion for the art of tea will play an important role in this new project and, if all goes well, it will both seduce the senses and enhance the tea experience for you and all our clients.

The Camellia Sinensis team has always had a strong belief in the importance of innovation and renewal.  As a result of this we are a business that is in constant evolution. Over the years we have seen the 1998, 2003, 2010, 2015 versions of the company and now we look forward to the 2022 edition.  So this is a time to think back with fond memory of the ‘Teahouse Days’ while the excitement builds for the next chapter that is about to begin.

Please note that our Emery Street Boutique will remain open for business as always

Deep thanks and appreciation for all your loyalty and support throughout the years

From the whole team here at Camellia Sinensis