T.Kettle: My Time At The Most Poorly Run Tea Shop - Part 1
I was one of the lucky few who got the chance to get their start in working in the world of tea at the now defunct Teavana brand stores. Working at Teavana was undoubtedly some of the best days of my life and the fondest days of my 20’s. Working there gave me the chance to meet so many fantastic friends and I even met my wife working there. Truth be told had it not closed in 2017 I may still be there.
I’ve never worked anywhere like there since. There was just something about the atmosphere. The team I worked with was one of a kind. Maybe it was that we were still living on the last legs of mall shopping? Whatever it was I’ve ever since longed to find that kind of feeling and happiness in the workplace again.
When Teavana closed the obvious move many thought I would make was to jump to DavidsTea. But by this time I had greater responsibilities and the only logical way for me to make that jump would be for a management position which wasn’t available at the time. And so I decided it was time to do something different. Through a conversation with the store’s pest control technician I was led to the field of pest control. There are several different reasons I chose this route but the most notably being it was an easy field to get into without needed to go back to school, and it paid very well.
And so just 2 weeks after Teavana closed it’s doors, I began my new career as an exterminator. The work had it perks. I got to be very independent and didn’t have to answer to my boss daily. The pay was very good and gave the extra cash flow I wanted. I had a company truck I could use as needed and benefits. But the work was also long and took a heavy toll on my body. Especially on summer days when I would be working outside in 40+ degree heat.
I debated daily about trying to find something better. An office position where I had Air conditioning in summer and heat in the winter. Where I could work with a team again. That also came with high pay and benefits. But as many of you may know, those jobs are few and far between these days, so I stuck with it. Then in 2020 as DavidsTea began shutting down stores, word got out that a new tea brand was launching in the old DavidsTea locations. The brand was to be run by the owner other big retail chains such as Sunrise Records, HMV, & FYE, who had purchased leases for closed DavidsTea stores.
When I got word that a new location would be opening in the mall opposite of where my old Teavana store was, and that they were looking for a manager, I decided to jump on it. Within a few days of applying I had a virtual interview as we were still in the middle of Covid restrictions. The interview went well and after speaking to the T-Kettle representative I had a great feeling that something good was about to come. A couple weeks later I got a call back – I HAD GOTTEN THE JOB!
Finally I would get my chance to return to working in the world of tea. This time as the head honcho of my own store. I would get to work with a team again and be around my favourite thing – TEA! I was told that I would be responsible for hiring my own staff and got straight to work on finding my new staff, and put my 2 weeks notice in at the pest control company I was working for. Within a couple weeks I had found my new staff and was given the date to meet at the new location for orientation and staff training.
This is where the story really begins. This is the story of my time at T.Kettle and the story of the tea brand that could have been great but quickly became a sinking ship.