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.
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