After closing for three months, the Old Teahouse — beloved by Collegetown residents for its bubble tea — plans to reopen this week at a new location, according to John Chen ’98, the owner.The business relocated from its original venue at 111 Dryden Road to around the corner on Eddy Street, between Fontana’s and Dunbar’s, less than half a block away. The new location will have tables and chairs for its patrons, said Chen.Despite the store’s proximity to its original space, several Cornell students, including Melissa Fickel ’14, called the relocation “annoying.”“I heard that it was a good place, and I was so excited to go this year, but now its just out of the way,” Fickel said. “I’m probably not going to go there anytime soon.”Stacy Gambrel ’13 said that while she is happy the Old Teahouse is still in business, she is concerned about the new store’s ambiance.“Now I don’t know what the new place is going to be like. It was cozy in the little space before with the two T.V.s,” she said. “I don’t know if it’ll be there in the new place.”While some students are hesitant about the change, Yilin Zhang ’14 said she believes bigger is better.“It used to be so awkward to stand there and wait for your order. It was so small,” Zhang said. “I don’t think Teahouse moving down the street would stop me from going there — I still think it’s the best part of Collegetown.”
Chen, the owner of the Old Teahouse, said he remains unfazed about the effect of distance on business. “You gain some, you lose some. During the winter, there wasn’t enough seating for students,” he said. “Now, we will have enough room for more customers.”Asked if there would be any updates to the original menu, Chen declined to provide details. “Small changes. It’ll be a surprise,” Chen said.On Aug. 18, Mexeo, a Mexican eatery, moved into the space the Old Teahosue previously occupied.
Original Author: Sophie Lin