Harney & Sons Fine Teas New York
It was 25 years ago that John Harney made the decision to found Harney & Sons. He had worked for others all of his life and felt (at the age of 53) it was time to run his own show.
Since he had worked with Stanley Mason at Sarum Tea for 13 years, he understood the basics of tea. However "tea" back then was much different. China had opened only recently and there were few teas coming out there in 1983. So Taiwan was the source of the basic "Chinese" teas: Gunpowder, Oolongs, and keemun. These teas did not taste like the real thing, but rather, were a version. The Taiwanese had not yet begun to make the great greenish oolongs that they do today. India's teas were still strongly influenced by the British, so Darjeelings and Assams were dark and monotone, just right for milk and sugar.
The Indians had only just begun to experiment with changing style of teas to make the teas taste more seasonal and more flavorful. Japan kept its Senchas to themselves. So back in 1983, the tea world did not offer many great teas. And that was fine, because few people drank tea. How that has changed, and for the better.
The world of tea has expanded considerably in the last 25 years.
John Harney stays committed to offering the finest teas. His love of tea has spread to his family and Harney customers’ worldwide, serving tea in many of the world’s finest names in hospitality, foodservice and retail. Harney & Sons have a tradition of tea that will endure elevating an ordinary cuppa in to a luxurious sensory experience.
In November 2010 Harney & Sons opened the very trendy flagship store in Soho, NYC. This amazing space with floor to ceiling displays of over 250 varieties of fine loose teas gives lucky visitors the world of tea at their fingertips.
Links
From PSFK - a US site with a review of Harney & Sons new showroom in New York.
From New York Magazine - Grub Street - an article on the opening of Harney & Sons new store in New York.
