Tea and coffee shop is shutting down Kansas City locations. ‘Only few do what we do’
In the five years that Mary Greene has been with Savoy Tea Co., her regular customers have become close friends.
“I’ve been through weddings, births … I could tell you so many stories,” she said, standing behind the counter Monday, passing off a hot matcha with lavender and vanilla.
It’s difficult for her to talk about the shop at 16953 City Center Drive in Lenexa closing May 10. The owners, who Greene said have been “wonderful,” are shifting toward online sales and offering products wholesale to other businesses.
The Crossroads spot at 2108 Wyandotte St. closed before the holidays. At the time, the company said the shutdown was temporary.
On social media last week, Savoy announced that it was shifting its business, promising customers it would continue to pour everything into its beloved products.
“We pride ourselves on bringing you unique teas and experiences,” the post reads. “Only few do what we do — and our website will be the heart of that mission moving forward.”
Its other remaining spot in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is also closing.
Its teas, which include a variety green, black, oolong, rooibos, mate and chai, are available at savoytea.com, where accessories like tea steepers and matcha whisks can also be found.
At its brick and mortar locations, customers can order steeped teas or bags of loose leaf tea to make at home. Espresso drinks and pastries are also available.
Owners Bill and Tina Beyers founded the tea company in Rogers, Arkansas, in 2011.
The Beyers opened the Lenexa City Center spot in September 2020, with the Crossroads spot following suit and celebrating its grand opening in January 2023.
While Greene, 66, is mourning the loss of the shop and co-workers she’s come to love dearly, she’s looking forward to spending some time traveling and reading.
What started as a part-time gig post-retirement became a little more full time. She’s learned a lot about different types of tea and their health benefits. She pointed to the vanilla lavender matcha and explained how the caffeine absorption of the green tea is different from coffee.
Not everyone is grieving Greene’s second retirement, however.
“My dog will be happy,” she said, laughing.