Beginnings, Renewals and Expansions

by Lisa Casinger
published in Home Accents Today, October 1, 2005

It's refreshing in this economy to see people opening new stores, renovating existing locations and branching out. Cha-ya, Japanese Tea & Things had its grand opening Sept. 6, on the Monterey Peninsula. Owner Mitsuko Gammon celebrates her new venture bringing traditional Japanese items and teas to the area.


Cha-ya means "Tea House" or "Tea Room" in Japanese. Originally from Tokyo, Mitsuko has long talked about "doing something" on her own in retail. That something turned into a quaint, serene teashop on Pacific Grove's Grand Avenue. Mitsuko is trained in the methods of Ikebana and the Traditional Tea Ceremony of Japan and she offers a wide assortment of interesting, hand-made objects for traditional ceremony as well as contemporary items and cards for unique gifts.


In a quiet decor of moss greens and bamboo browns, Cha-ya is a welcome surprise. With an eclectic variety of teas, books, art and ceramics in the Japanese aesthetic, the shop feels like a Zen-inspired refuge from the buzz of commerce.