A Thousand Cups of Tea

Robert and Mako Carlson travel to tea farms throughout China each harvest season, sometimes by horse cart, to choose the best tea for their customers at Xiu Xian Tea.  They walk the fields, break leaves, watch the drying process and get to know the farmers.  Then they sit at a tea table, like the one in their shop at Crossroads, to drink tea and choose their favorites.  On the spot, they seal and label the boxes for shipping back to Washington.    

The selection of Chinese teas, extraordinary in every way, is only the beginning of the magic of Xiu Xian Tea, (pronounced shu she-in.)  The balance comes from the passion of Mako and her staff.  Their greatest joy is helping customers understand the health benefits and delights of drinking tea.  Mako wants every customer to be “100% happy” and encourages everyone to sample a few varieties at the tea table before going out the door with a purchase.  (Be warned.  Time can disappear at the tea table.  Mako is a charming and engaging host with an unpredictable sense of humor.)  The gorgeous carved wood tea tables and chairs, specially designed for tea ceremonies, are worth the trip to Xiu Xian…even for non-tea drinkers.

Don’t know where to start in choosing a tea?  No problem.  With answers to two simple questions, Mako can suggest a selection of teas that just might make coffee a habit of the past.  Xiu Xian has them all:  red, white, yellow, green, oolong (Oprah’s answer to weight loss,) ku ding, herbal, flower, tea art balls and more.  Mako creates unique blends for health, detoxification, cold and flu (“magic that Americans love,”) allergies, and relaxation.  They also offer a black tea latte mix, created by Mako and a police officer who requested a quick “get –up-and-go” for those 5AM shifts. The mix, that works best in their specially designed to-go teacups, is now a favorite in both Xiu Xian stores.

Robert and Mako opened their first store in Kent in 2005.  Relying mostly on word-of-mouth, they developed a customer base whose enthusiasm and loyalty sounds more like family.  The Carlsons are eager to serve the Crossroads community with the same passion.  If you haven’t visited Xiu Xian Tea yet, prepare to be surprised and delighted.