Teavana facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Beverage |
| Founded | 1997 Phipps Plaza Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Headquarters | 2401 Utah Avenue South,
Seattle, Washington
,
U.S.
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| Products | Loose-Leaf Tea Made-to-order tea beverages Tea-Related Products |
| Parent | Starbucks (2012–present) |
Teavana was an American company that sold tea. It used to have stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East.
Starbucks bought Teavana in 2012. In 2017, Starbucks announced it would close all Teavana stores. By 2018, all the stores were closed. Today, you can still find some Teavana products sold at Starbucks stores.
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Teavana's Story
Teavana started in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997. The first store was a teahouse at Phipps Plaza. Andrew T. Mack and his wife created Teavana. They used all their savings to start the business. They got the idea after seeing how much Americans liked good wines and coffees.
In 2012, Starbucks announced it would buy Teavana. Starbucks paid $620 million for the company. Some Teavana shareholders filed lawsuits about the sale. These lawsuits were settled later that year. Starbucks officially bought Teavana on December 31, 2012.
On July 27, 2017, Starbucks said it would close all 379 Teavana stores. This was partly because the stores were not making enough money.
Some mall owners, like Simon Property Group, wanted Starbucks to keep the Teavana stores open. They argued that closing the stores would mean fewer people visiting their malls. In December 2017, a judge agreed with Simon. Another company, Cadillac Fairview, also sued Starbucks in Canada.
However, in January 2018, Simon and Starbucks reached an agreement. This allowed the remaining 77 Teavana stores in Simon malls to close. This ended Teavana's time as a company with its own stores after almost 21 years.
What Teavana Sold
Today, Teavana offers hot tea bags and ready-made iced tea. You can buy these at Starbucks locations. They are also sold in supermarkets and other stores that sell tea.
Before the stores closed, Teavana shops were often in fancy shopping malls. They were designed to be like a "tea bar" and a "tea store" combined. You could buy individual cups of tea to drink right away. The stores also gave out free samples of different teas.
The stores also sold things for making and drinking tea. These included cups, pots, and other accessories.
Teavana used to sell many types of loose-leaf teas. These included white, black, green, and oolong teas. They also sold rooibos, herbal, and Yerba Maté infusions. Teavana stores offered many blends of each tea type. They often encouraged customers to mix different teas together. Teas were sold as loose leaves, in pre-filled tins, or in tea bags. You could also buy them already brewed.
Besides tea, Teavana sold teaware. This included Tetsubin teapots made of cast iron. They also sold Bone China teapots and Japanese porcelain teapots. Other items included stove-top kettles and electric kettles. They also sold special tea makers and hot water dispensers. Teavana also sold natural rock sugar from Belgium.
Teavana's Good Deeds
Helping Education
In April 2014, Starbucks and Teavana worked with Oprah Winfrey. They created a special tea called Teavana Oprah Chai Tea. For every sale of this tea, Starbucks donated money. The money went to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Foundation Academy. This foundation helps young people get an education. It also supports the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Teavana and Starbucks have raised $5 million to help young people's education with this tea.
After this, Teavana also partnered with Girls, Inc. This New York-based group helps support education and mentorship for young girls.
Teavana and Starbucks also have a program for their employees. It helps employees take online classes at Arizona State University.
Fair Tea Practices
On April 1, 2015, Teavana joined the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP). This group makes sure that tea is produced and sold fairly. They check things like safety in factories. They also make sure that chemicals are used safely. The ETP also looks at how workers are treated. They check for things like discrimination and living conditions for tea workers.
