World Cup of Tea

This place is closed isn’t it?

UPDATE: 03÷08÷12 — I wrote this post yesterday after a week of no shipping information, and no return contact from the vendor. I disputed the credit card charge with my credit card company, whom contacted PayPal (whom the vendor uses for online billing). This morning, I awoke with a notice that my product was being shipped. Priority.
I can understand that in the throes of shifting a business model down from store to online, business can back up. But when a customer takes the time to contact you by several means, explaining their concerns, a simple phone call or e-​mail would have prevented all these measures. My rating remains the same, as it took my aggressive, proactive measures to get any kind response.
DO NOT BUY FROM THEIR ONLINE STORE.
Save for the irrational business hours (something to the tune of 10 – 2 on weekdays), I had rave reviews regarding this business until today. As of February 2012, World Cup of Tea closed their doors. My mother, whom lives in Arizona, fell in love with their Chocoholic Fix tea while visiting a few years ago. I’ve gone to the store and purchased her a lb. here and there and shipped it on. Last week, I went to the store to find the doors locked and the building somewhat empty. I checked online to see if I could find the tea elsewhere, and was delighted to discover that their online store was still, supposedly up and running.
Or IS it?
I ordered 4 bags of tea to be shipped to me. No shipping options were provided, and when I received notice that my credit card had been charged, the invoice stated «standard flat rate shipping». No tracking number, no estimated delivery date.
As the days passed, I began to grow worried. Were they just running behind? Were they in an interim place where shipping would be delayed due to the change in the company? I called the numbers provided on the invoice (both local and toll free), and got a voice mail. At first, I called again later, and got voice mail again. I left a message. I also sent an e-​mail to the e-​mail address provided on the invoice. Two days later, I called again to follow up (the tea was meant to be a surprise gift for my mother on the day of my wedding… in four days) and the phone numbers — both local and toll free — have suddenly been disconnected. I checked my Spam inbox to see if a response had somehow gone there. No.
Panic set in – had I been duped? Intentional or not, it is poor business practices to maintain a billing site if your business has officially closed — online or otherwise. I fully understand that delays can arise, but a voice mail and an e-​mail being ignored for two days? They didn’t have THAT much business.
So I’ve called my credit card company to dispute the payment. If the company has sent the package and simply didn’t respond to my query, that is just fine. But I have a sinking feeling that the operation couldn’t keep sail on it’s own on the web and closed their virtual doors within days of closing their physical doors.
Such a shame really. The storefront was lovely, and the use of a web store clever. I hope no one else has to suffer this strain over something as irrelevant as fraudulent tea.

Simply a delightful shop. They have a good selection of loose teas and good prices. The staff is absolutely great and really know their teas! Altho I wasn’t shopping for tea pots and accessories, but I did notice they were well stocked.

I don’t drink coffee. Yes, some of you might think I’m crazy for that, but when it comes to my morning caffeine I prefer tea.
After reacquainting myself with more than just the regular bag of tea from the grocery store (which is more expensive blah… but the taste is worth it), I decided to stop in to World Cup of Tea while I was in the area. They have a great selection of different teas and all kinds of useful tea accessories/​pretty tea sets at all sorts of price points. The staff is really nice and helpful, which is awesome because it is easy to get lost when you have that many choices. My current favorites are Hot Cinnamon in the morning (if you REALLY like cinnamon) and Home for the Holidays is nice and relaxing before going to sleep. If you are torn between flavors you can always grab a cup to help make a decision.
They also appear to do luncheons and have a case of delicious looking desserts that I have yet to try but hope to in the near future.
If you are just looking for a delicious cup of tea or even a nice gift for someone definitely stop in!

Good tea. Marcus introduced me.

Great Place and even Greater People!
My wife and I have finally found our Nashville area loose leaf tea connection. Prior to our discovery we were dealing with a great tea house in Paducah KY. The quest for a place that put tea first (not just a side note in a coffee house) was difficult in this area. We discovered them and now are truly addicted to their tea choices, their friendliness and exceptional knowledge. We visited with the intention of adding a few ounces of maybe 2 or three varieties that turned into the addition of almost 10 different teas to our collection. Knowledge without snobbery is a rarity in this world. They have truly mastered it all!
My favorites are the Rasberry Truffle and the Earl Grey Au let!

We moved into Franklin and spent the first day cruising around and stumbled upon this charming place.
This is not a chain; it is owned by somebody extremely passionate about two things: tea and traveling. WCoT has a nice quaint charm going for it, with an array of tea kettles and teacups, a plethora of nice teas and great staff. There is also a nice choice of desserts to munch on while reading the vast collection of tea-​related books.
The teas themselves are nice and variegated. They had some interesting blends and choices from all over the world: from Oolong tea to Darjeeling. I liked the Mango Chai tea that we ordered which was brewed hot. The prices were reasonable and the ambiance was great to unwind and zone out. I am glad this place is in our neighborhood.