I’ve been maybe five times and… it’s ok. Solid place and certainly better than you’d expect a city of Austin’s size to have, but for me it doesn’t cross the threshold where I’d rather have tea there than at home.

Completely agree about the 2010-2014 era. It was magic.

What happened is more complicated… I knew the owner really well. As expenses like rent and labor became more expensive, he was forced more and more to try to find a balance between food (which was a good business) and tea (which wasn’t as good). The smaller store on Valencia sort of cracked the code, though it didn’t have all of the magic of Sanchez / Laguna. Then Covid came and that was more than the business could handle.

Not sure if you’ve been there, but Sophie’s Cuppa Tea in the Oakland Hills is an incredible spot. The owner has encyclopedic knowledge and has a great community. At Sophie’s you pay for the tea, not the ambiance. You get the “great tea, great people, and great environment” but not the fancy fancy teaware meant to impress passersby.