Thursday
Dec112014
Tea Lounge to Close December 14
Thursday, December 11, 2024 at 8:00AM Tea Lounge, on Union Street near Seventh Avenue, will be closing for good on Sunday. The owners announced the closure on Facebook, saying simply, "We are sad to announce to the community and our loyal customers that we will be closing Tea Lounge in Park Slope on Sunday 12/14/14. Please stop by so we can say goodbye."
The popular coffee shop began its life more than 13 years ago in the space further up Seventh where Hanco's is now, and moved into this sprawling space several years ago. It was a popular hangout for local moms and nannies, and was certainly one of the largest coffee shops in the neighborhood.
Back in September I discovered that the space had been listed for sale, but the owner contacted me and insisted that the listing was "only intended to help sell franchises," and that it wasn't in fact for sale. That explanation sounded a little fishy, apparently with good reason. It'll be interesting to see what's been lined up to take over this prime space.
UPDATE: Here's a link to the listing. The rental rate for the 3,900 square-foot space has been listed only as "negotiable."
tagged Closing in Food, Scoops, Storefronts
Closing in Food, Scoops, Storefronts 
Reader Comments (44)
Sorry, but good riddence! This place was once cool; now it's a disgusting sprawling ICK. Yes, part of my impression is that I'm older, but not that much of my impression. Also, their coffee was also horrible.
What else can the space be used for? Can someone open another cafe there? It's too dark and window-less for much else... Wait, I know, a GIANT SUBWAY shop. Just kidding!
I too thought the response was more than a bit strange when confronted with business listing. Now, it makes sense. I suspect it's that new lease issue.
Every time I've been in (seldom) its seems to be pretty crowded. Not sure if that translates into busy, some people camp out all day in places like that.
They place always felt dirty to me.
Whatever goes in there I do hope it remains an independent business.
Is this a Nick K building?
This place smells weird and looks dirty. Tried it twice and every time walked out pretty soon as I walked in. Much cozier and nicer places in the area with more light.
Where are the entitled moms and rude kids going to hang out now????
The only down side is at least all the COOP stereotypes congregated in one place. Now they will disperse all over the neighbourhood like locust.
Another place that thought it could get by even though they declined to invest anything in the presentation of their business. Calling the inside dirty is an understatement.
I will miss the Tea Lounge. What a bummer! See you all Sunday.
Hope it becomes a new coffee shop like Toby's Estate or maybe a Joe Coffee?
As much as I am glad to see incompetence punished, it's sad that owner was so incompetent. This place should have, and could have been quite nice and inviting. But the Tea Lounge became the FLEA lounge. And now, will there only be Starbucks.....?.
Will there only be Starbucks??
HUH?
There's the beautiful little Cafe Regular du Nord a block away on Berkeley, there's Cafe Dada on Lincoln, 2 blocks from here, there's CT Muffin a few more blocks in the other direction, there's a brand new Hungry Ghost up on Flatbush, there's coffee everywhere. This neighborhood has about 20 coffee shops!
And while not quite nearby, the huge and very nice Threes Brewing space off of 4th Ave. on Douglass that officially opens today will have a Ninth Street Espresso in it.
Re Starbucks, I mean a large cafe space where you can hang out and do some work.
Cafe Dada is quite large.
Rick, Cafe Dada is a restaurant. It doesn't have couches. It's a different animal. Different business model. You're not very discerning.
No actually CAFE Dada is a....wait for it....CAFE.
It also happens to serve food, but is primarily a place to get coffee, tea and pastries.
I don't call those things at Tea lounge couches, I call those Bed Bug nests. They were FILTHY and I would never consider ever sitting on one. I prefer my public seating made of wood or metal, thank you very much. That's discerning!
Right Lisa. The name proves that it's just a cafe--just like Danny Meyer's original restaurant was just for coffee...
I go there every day. Yes, it's a cafe. 75% of their customer base is coffee/pastries.
Slopesteven:
Aren't you the same guy who posted yesterday that CitySub didn't post a "renovating" sign in their window and then someone showed you proof that in fact they did and you still thought you were right?
yeah....seems to be a pattern here....
I've been to Cafe Dada 100's of times. I don't need to go by the name only because I've actually BEEN there and know that it's primarily a cafe that serves coffee.
No, Ina, not me. My point is that Tea Lounge's only pure competition in the area is the Flastbush Starbucks; the big Hungry Ghost is at least arguably too far away to be considered competition. Dada is on my street and a very nice place, but it's not in the same market segment. For all I know, large cafes aren't viable in Park Slope, but in any case, there isn't another one (except for the Starbucks).
People are in Kos Kafe all day...
Why is Cafe Dada not in the same market?
I go there, I get a coffee, I sit for an hour or 2 sometimes, do some work, get another coffee, maybe a pastry and then I leave.
Isn't that THE EXACT same thing people do at Tea Lounge?
Here's a clue Ina: no couches or comfy seats, no Wifi, and table service.
But Ok, Ina, you win. Forgive me for not recognizing that you are a market analyst genius and a hero.
On eater, they quote the owner of Tea Lounge as blaming the customers for buying a coffee and sitting around all day. I find that very disingenous. That combined with the fact that he denied (LIED) back in September and said that even though there was a listing for sale, that it wasn't actually for sale but looking for franchises. HUH?
Basically what I'm gathering here is that the owner is an incompetent liar. You don't want a place where people buy a coffee and sit around all day? Then don't open a coffee shop and put couches in there. There are many ways to curtail this like limited hours of free wi-fi. No free wi-fi, small charges for wi-fi, or about a million other ideas.
But instead he BLAMES the customers for his own demise?
Yeah, i knew I always hated that place. Good riddens. Place was a joke and was often the centerpiece of all that's wrong with Park Slope.
LISA!!!!! WHAT?!?!? IS THIS TRUE?!?!? YOU GO TO CAFE DADA, MY CAFE THAT YOU HATE AND HAS DIRT TASTING COFFEE, EVERY DAY?!?!!?
"I go there every day. Yes, it's a cafe. 75% of their customer base is coffee/pastries."
Oh my goodness. You've blown my world apart. I don't even know how to live anymore.
But really, what? Please explain.
sterlingplace,
I have no idea what you're referring to, but you must have me confused with another Lisa. It's not exactly a unique name. There are 3 Lisa's just in my building. Are you the owner of Cafe Dada? I'm a little confused by your comment and quite frankly disturbed if you really are the owner. I do not believe owners should be online harassing potential customers. Always a big mistake. Please don't make me sorry I defended Cafe Dada.