Like tea? You’re not alone – either presently or throughout history. Tea is kind of a big deal – not only in Springfield or the United States – but across the entire world as well. It is allegedly the second most consumed beverage in the world, right behind water, and no matter where you get your statistics from, the fact remains that the data notes that it is widely enjoyed.
Hot or cold. Small size or large size. With a bit of cream and sugar, a lemon squeeze, on ice, any variety, it is a drink that – regardless of the temperature, time or circumstance – can be happily imbibed.
While it is a delicious drink – however prepared – it is also a healthy drink, rich in antioxidants and other vitamins – depending on which you enjoy and what might be a part of your brew.
Many tea drinkers might enjoy the basics – the Earl Grey, Oolong, White tea, Black tea, Green tea, Yellow tea, Jasmine tea, and so on – this is certainly not the long and short of the team world or community. Tea blends are popular, customizable, and can be quite – how you say – whimsical in the flavors they transmit and the sensations they summon within us.
Which brings us to the Whimsy Tea Company.
Springfield’s own tea spot – containing more teas than you might have found at your grandparent’s house once upon a time – has more than 120 different house-created varieties for you to try to stay or go, to take home in a cup, or for brewing later on.
Whenever WMAY goes in to see Gordon K Davis – co-owner and founder of the shop with his wife Laura and their children – it is a minor lesson in the wonders of tea and the creativity that this particular shop utilizes within their business model.
As one first walks in, however, one is instantly struck by the wonderful artwork adorning the walls of the quite open little spot across from Resource One on E Adams Street in Downtown Springfield. The atmosphere invigorates you as your eyes move over each artwork, and then across each shelving unit full of tea jars.
These aren’t regular teas though – well, some of them are – but there are so many fun flavors and variants put together by the Davis family themselves.
And the name Whimsy Tea just as easily applies to the products one can procure in the shop as the layout of the shop itself. Teas that taste like whiskey, vanilla, or like you’re waking up in Wexford, have their juxtaposition in some blends that are designed to produce varying physical or mental effects upon a person.
The children too, have their own tea blends; each blend – developed by adult or child – is organized by who created it, what their inspiration or purpose was, the flavor profiles, and all that. The shelves make it very clear upon inspection which blends of tea were created by exactly whom, and the pictures on the jars tell a tale as well.
When we finally got a tea and found the time to enjoy a chat with Gordon and his family, the passion that oozed from them all was infectious. As they discussed the tea shop, the community, and what it all means and has meant to them, we covered numerous topics of interest; you can read the entirety of that interview below, but you might want to grab a spot of tea first if you’ve the time!
WMAY: The pleasure is absolutely all mine as it always is, of course. Would you tell us all a bit about yourself, yourselves, and your sinmgular and collective journey here? Personally and professionally, if we may know.
Gordon and the Davis Family: Well, professionally, I’ve been many places and done many things. I always say I have occupational ADHD. I have been a Michigan DNR crew leader with Americorps, a park ranger, an assistant teacher and forestry manager on an island in the middle of Lake Michigan, a youth counselor at a juvenile residential treatment facility, a job coach for people with intellectual disabilities, and a firefighter.
Personally, I – we – ended up in Springfield as this is where my wife – Laura Davis, Executive Director of Helping Hands of Springfield – is from and where her family remains. Her mother wasn’t doing well after the passing of Laura’s father, and we decided that we were needed here. We’ve been in Springfield ever since.
WMAY: Why did you and the family come to create this marvelous, thoughtful, and unique establishment?
Gordon and the Davis Family: The reality is that it’s not I that created it alone. True, I am the one seen most, but it really is a family affair. We missed having ready access to fun teas and saw an unmet need in the community. Having already begun sourcing teas for ourselves, we thought we could do the same for others. We didn’t necessarily think that it would be a fruitful endeavor, but we were sure that others missed having a tea shop just like we did.
WMAY: Can you tell us what it means to you and your family?
Gordon and the Davis Family: We absolutely love being part of downtown Springfield’s business community. We also really appreciate that we are able to provide a product and service that folks appreciate. But most of all, we are profoundly grateful for this amazing community that has sprung up or, more precisely, coalesced around what we do. The fact that so many folks have welcomed us into their lives and made Whimsy Tea a part of their routine, is mind-boggling. Our community brings me joy every day, and I am intensely grateful to it.
WMAY: How does your store attempt to reflect your own personal values back upon the community which so values you?
Gordon and the Davis Family: It comes down to what we know folks deserve. People deserve high-quality food, goods, and services at reasonable and affordable prices. People deserve to know that they are seen, appreciated, and matter. For us, things should be set up in a way that everyone wins.
The most concise example of that is the intersection of where we, Whimsy Tea Company, and our artists intersect. We have more than 30 local artists doing the art for our tea labels. For that, we compensate them 5% of gross sales for each tea that carries their art as its label, so they realize returns attached to our sales directly.
Then we allow our artists to hang their art up in the shop rent-free, which allows us to have a perpetually updating art gallery. Then if the artists wish to sell their art we help and do not take a cut, ensuring that our artists get all the proceeds from their labor. So as you can see, we certainly win but not at the expense of anyone else.
WMAY: How does your passion for what you all do get to shine through your place of business?
Gordon and the Davis Family: I love people, and I really enjoy being able to help folks. I hope that that comes through to everyone that comes in and they leave they feel better about their day. Each person that walks through our door is an opportunity for us to grow our community and build connections between folks and that feels amazing to be able to be a part of that. At the end of the day, it is about building community.
WMAY: In a similar vein as question four, what type of obligation(s) does a community have to one another? Not only to serve one another – buying and purchasing, selling and providing – but to be there for one another?
Gordon and the Davis Family: We all have an obligation to each other to be there and support each other. And I don’t mean financially, although that does help. I mean to be there for our people when they need help, to cheer when your people have success, and to bring more people into the fold to make your community bigger and more resilient.
Again, it’s all about building community. We all – everyone in the grand scheme of things, but to keep it germane, we will just think of Whimsy Tea Company – have enjoyed tremendous love and support from our community, and so we must give love and support back to the greatest extent that we can. If you come into the shop with troubles or sadness, we want you to leave lighter and with a greater measure of joy.
If you have questions or feel unsure about something, we want to ameliorate those feelings. Conversely, if you come in and have good news, we want to be there to lift you up! And those go far beyond the confines of our little shop.
WMAY: What has creating and running the Whimsy Tea Company taught everyone involved in it? We are all always learning, of course!
Gordon and the Davis Family: We started this comfortable in the knowledge that we had no clue about running a business. And I think we’ve come a long way from then. And yet, we still have so very much yet to learn. All and all, we face that age-old conundrum where the more we learn about anything, the more we realize that there is so much more to learn. I think some of the best advice about being willing to grow in anything comes from Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.) “Never let your ego get so close to your position so that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.”. That mindset keeps you free to learn and grow.
WMAY: What are some of the most popular teas, and what are some of your personal favorite teas that maybe have snuck under the radar so far?
Gordon and the Davis Family: With more than 120 different and unique tea and herbal blends in the shop, it is quite difficult to say which is most popular as that changes by the day/season. And as for picking a favorite, that’s much like picking a favorite child. I will say this, though, I am quite fond of our Yerba Matés, and the amazing energy they impart it is truly life-changing!
WMAY: Are there any events, sales, upcoming collaborations, or any other point of interest that the community should be aware of?
Gordon and the Davis Family: Well the Old State Capitol Farmers Market begins May 17th, so that is pretty awesome! Other upcoming events are posted to: https://whimsyteacompany.com/calendar-of-events
We tend to keep our collaborations under wraps until our partners and ourselves are fully set to reveal them. I will tell you that we have some super rad stuff coming up though, so keep an eye out!
Our thanks to Gordon, Laura, the entire Davis family, and the entire staff of Whimsy Tea Company for their time.
