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Serenity on East Front Street

A new place to find Serenity and relax is only a few steps away…Serenity Tea Bar & Café, newly opened across from the State Theatre is a peaceful retreat appealing to many types of people. Couples, singles, families, young or old, folks who are looking for a large variety of vegetarian, organic, and locally produced products are finding it at Serenity Tea Bar & Café. Beautifully redone into an enticing, relaxing atmosphere, every attention has been made to be earth-friendly and still very satisfying to the customer. From using recycled products whenever possible in the renovation from floor and ceiling, which are both over 100 years old, to using Invirofoam (recycled Styrofoam) and plastic made from corn and potato starch, owners and brothers Kerry and Jack and their mom Jill are working hard to do it right and to set a strong example.

Says Kerry, the concept came about because Jack was a vegetarian who often was able to find one or two vegetarian selections on menus at restaurants, but was rarely satisfied. So Jack, Kerry and Jill have put together an entire menu of vegetarian choices, which are produced with organic products whenever possible. The family uses locally grown ingredients for their delicious soups, snacks and sandwiches, sometimes as fresh as same-day picked. They are also carrying over 70 varieties of Light of Day Teas and Tisanes. Light of Day is located on Leelanau Peninsula and is one of only a small handful of biodynamic certified organic tea farms in the nation. In addition, Serenity’s menu includes fresh baked goods, gluten-free items and vegan options. The owners feel it is important to open a small family-run business where all kinds of people and families will feel at home, as Jack, Kerry and Jill do.

Many people find certain types of tea to have healing benefits. Ironically, the building where Serenity Tea Bar & Café now sits has spent a good portion of its time as a place where people would go to find products to make them well: a drug store. The building actually had a bit of a rough start. After being sold to Reuben Goodrich in 1862 by Perry Hannah, it sat as simply the “Goodrich House.” Then in 1876 Goodrich sold it to “Winnie and Steven” (first names were not found), who together opened a two-story store and warehouse there. Twenty years later, it burned to the ground.

It took until 1903 for the space to be occupied again by a building. The present structure was put up by W. A. Dean, architect, and was established as CA Bugbee & Roxburgh Drugs. Mrs. H. M. Timblin also sold “fine coats” there, though for how long is unclear. In 1907 it was changed to City Drug Store and in 1939 to Mead’s Cut Rate Drug Store, which it remained until 1942. Vacant until 1947, it was purchased by the owners of McKinnon’s Furniture Store, who converted it into professional offices where for a time Fitzmorison-Aiken Insurance was located, and later Tower Finance. In 1974 DeYoung’s Wallpaper and Paint occupied the space (along with their current location next door; it was one large store). In 2000, the large space was split so that DeYoung’s remained in the space they currently are in. The new space has seen four businesses since the split: All About Traverse; Traverse Country Store; Tiny Toes and Del Sol. And now, we welcome Serenity Tea Bar & Café. May it remain for years to come!

Find Serenity at 232 E. Front St., or call 231-421-1564.