Sipping Tea in the Bluegrass State

Kentucky
Stainless-steel cans of tea line the shelves at the Louisville Tea Company, ready to be sniffed or sampled.

LOUISVILLE TEA COMPANY
9305 New LaGrange Rd. • Louisville, KY 40242
502-365-2516 • louisvilleteacompany.com

Louisville Tea
Nick and Nicolette Spears offer four signature teas blended for Kentucky tastes, as well as other high-quality teas from around the world.

When Nick and Nicolette Spears opened the Louisville Tea Company in Kentucky’s largest city four years ago, they had one simple goal—to bring high-quality tea to Louisville. “We started small, but people who like tea have just magically found us,” Nicolette says.

Nicolette, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, met Nick when she moved to
his hometown of Louisville. “We had set our sights on opening a business,” recalls Nicolette, who previously worked in several tea shops in Arizona. A road trip across the country inspired the couple to open the Louisville Tea Company. Inside the colorful and eclectic shop on New LaGrange Road, more than 150 tins of tea line the walls. Some are sourced from other companies; some the Spearses blend themselves.

Among these are four signature blends they created to appeal to local tastes. Louisville BreKentuckyakfast is a strong black tea with a light smokiness, a hint of chocolate, and a robust malty finish. Derby City Green is a light blend of green and oolong teas with lemongrass, orange, and spearmint. (Nicolette says it has a mint julep vibe.) Bashford Bedtime, named for local bed-and-breakfast Bashford Manor, has floral overtones with a hint of mint. Kentucky Morning, the Louisville Tea Company’s most popular blend, consists of black tea, orange peel, and cinnamon—perfect for a brisk Kentucky morning. Customers can sample any of the teas before they buy. Small and large cups of tea are available hot or iced, and there are bulk packages to enjoy at home.

Although the teas can be purchased online on their website, the Spearses enjoy the hands-on aspect of their retail store. “In Louisville, we’re a destination place. We like having customers who plan to be here,” Nicolette says. “We’re all about getting people in touch with tea.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.