Elden Street Tea Shop is relocating to Lake Anne Plaza. After almost five years of being located in a historic Herndon House, Elden Street Tea is starting fresh in Reston.
The store re-opened on May 4th, which was held alongside the annual NOVA tea festival run by Elden Street Tea. With it being the year the festival is held in Reston. The event served as a way for tea vendors to advertise their products to potential customers, with admission being free.
Rachel Eisenfeld, the owner of Elden Street Tea, chose to relocate to Reston after having limited space in her former location, a one-story house. She originally wanted to use the space in Reston to open a second location, but ultimately decided to relocate her business due to lease issues with the Herndon location. It is possible that Elden Street Tea may open a second location in the future, but that depends on the shop’s reception in Reston.
The location of the shop may benefit it, with it being located at the Lake Anne Plaza, which is also where a farmers market is held on Saturdays April through December. People who visit the farmers market, especially during the summer months, could be potential customers for the store.
“I wouldn’t make a special trip to go there, but if I was at the farmers market, I would go,” student Emma Aryes said.
Elden Street Tea didn’t have this added benefit in its former location.
“I think that it being at Lake Anne makes people recognize that it is [now part of] Reston,” Ayres added.
The shop offers loose-leaf tea selections both in-store and online, from traditional teas like oolong and green tea to more unconventional herbal blends such as pumpkin spice and unicorn tea.
Outside of Elden Street Tea’s selection, they also offer afternoon tea services as well as tea parties for as many as 13 guests. On the Elden Street Tea Shop Website, specific details and prices are available.
Along with this, Elden Street Tea hosts tea related events, such as “Sip and Chat” where people can come in before hours and socialize while enjoying tea, without an added price. They also host “Playdate Cafe” at the Herndon Fortnightly Library, where children can play while their parents can talk.
With the new location, Eisenfeld hopes to expand the number of events offered, potentially adding an open mic night as well as a tea and yoga event. Any updates to the shop’s agenda will be posted on their calendar, which is located under their “Tea Parties and Events” tab, also on their website.
Elden Street Tea Shop’s move to Lake Anne is still recent. So, any success or major issues have not yet been reported. Eisenfeld has years of prior experience running her store, but it is still unknown how successful the Elden Street Tea Shop will be in Reston.
