Our Story
A VISION FOR SHARING OUR HERITAGE BECOMES A MODERN-DAY TEA HOUSE REALITY
Our Inspiration
Family Values and Kind Hearts
I, Lulu (Ya Wen), was born and raised in the heart of Taipei, Taiwan, spending most of my childhood at my parent’s restaurant in the Xinyi District. They rose before the sun every day to make their beloved cold noodle dishes and Oolong tea, showing me the indispensable value of hard work from an early age. Most importantly though, their familial embrace of every customer inspired me to one day open my own shop fueled by the same warm service and quality food.
Although operating our restaurant undoubtedly kept the family busy, we still found time for frequent visits to my aunt and uncle’s tea fields in the mountainous Nantou region. Running through the seemingly endless rows of tea leaves, while simultaneously learning the many aspects of tea plant cultivation and selection, became a regular and cherished part of my childhood. These carefree, yet formative experiences would eventually help sow the seeds of my vision to open a tea house in America.
Opening The Doors
BRINGING THE DREAM TO LIFE
As I entered 2016 with my husband, Andy, and children by my side, I decided it was time to rekindle my long-held childhood dream. Andy and I attended a well-respected tea school in Taiwan, further advancing our knowledge and passion for Cha, and soon set our sights on the West.
As Andy utilized his financial background and entrepreneurial spirit to develop a business plan to get us there, I returned to the tea plantations of my youth, selecting only the highest-quality leaves for our soon-to-be craft beverages. With assistance from family in fine-tuning the food, we were one step closer to bringing our cherished Taiwanese traditions to America.
After searching several cities for a place to call home and share our Cha House vision, it was a serendipitous recommendation from Andy to visit Raleigh, NC that sealed the deal. It was the ideal community to both raise our family and introduce our love for the many unique presentations of tea.
With the help of friends, family, and the Raleigh community, all of whom we are forever grateful, our dream has become a reality. In the spirit of sharing our story, our heritage, and our vision for a modern-day Asian-style tea house, we welcome you to Cha House!
Our Vision
Our Driving Values
The Mandarin character for 'cha' comes together to form the shape of a home. In the same way, our core values, taken together, form the vision for our Cha House.