Chai Cupboard sells loose tea and spices in downtown Everett, owned by Jeni and Tim Ellis. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Chai Cupboard sells loose tea and spices in downtown Everett, owned by Jeni and Tim Ellis. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

New downtown Everett store offers loose tea and spices

Bring your tea caddy or spice jar: Chai Cupboard carries more than 100 teas and 100 spices.

EVERETT — When it came to filling the tea caddy or topping off a spice jar, Jeni Ellis was flustered.

Having to buy spices in small plastic or glass bottles, she noted, is another layer of unnecessary packaging that creates more waste — just 9% of plastics are recycled.

“I couldn’t bring my cinnamon jar to a store and fill it,” said Ellis, who thought, “there must be a better way.”

Her frustration, eventually, launched a new business.

In March, Jeni and her husband, Tim Ellis, opened Chai Cupboard, a new tea and spices shop, at 2809 Colby Avenue in Everett, where you can bring your own container or use one of the store’s compostable bags and stock up on spices, loose tea and tea-making accessories.

(Tim Ellis is the creator of “Dispatches from the Multiverse,” an improv comedy sci-fi podcast and takes his tea seriously.)

Chai Cupboard carries more than 100 varieties of tea, including Pea Flower, which makes a deep, blue cup of tea. It also carries 100 spices from kitchen staples such as cumin, coriander and fenugreek to ghost pepper chili flakes, among the world’s hottest peppers.

Need a little? Need a lot?

Spices and teas are stored in large glass jars. The store carries traditional black, green and oolong teas, along with herbal teas and blends, plus some unexpected flavors.

White Chocolate Mocha, a blended black tea, and Mocha Gingersnap, a blended herbal tea, taste just like their names and can tempt even diehard coffee drinkers, Jeni Ellis said.

One of her favorites is Mocha hazelnut. “It’s like hot cocoa with no calories,” she said.

Chai Cupboard sells loose teas and spices. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Chai Cupboard sells loose teas and spices. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

The couple got the keys to the store in November, but it was a slower than normal process stocking the shelves. The pandemic forced many retail and industry trade shows to cancel events last year, including the “World Tea Expo, ” which brings wholesalers and retailers together to buy and sell and view new products. Without those events, it was difficult to locate suppliers, Jeni Ellis said.

Eventually, they filled out the store’s inventory, but only after extensive internet searches to find products.

Chai Cupboard doesn’t serve beverages, but in the future, the couple plans to offer samples and hold tea-tastings. Like wine and beer, “you can match teas to your food,” Jeni Ellis said.

For years the Everett couple traveled to Seattle to buy tea and spices.

They dreamed of opening a local tea and spice store, but were never serious about it until the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Quarantined and bored at home, they finally drew up a business plan, Jeni Ellis said.

They began a search for properties that were centrally located and close to neighborhoods and apartment dwellers.

Chai Cupboard’s tea and spices are gathered from across the globe. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Chai Cupboard’s tea and spices are gathered from across the globe. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

In downtown Everett, a former real estate office on Colby Avenue with an exposed brick wall and 600-square feet of retail space became available.

Around the corner from Funko’s, on a block lined with restaurants, “we hope people will drop in and buy some tea,” she said of the location.

The couple said they planned to invest $20,000 in their new venture, but that’s risen to more than $30,000.

Chai Cupboard’s tea and spices are gathered from across the globe, but the store’s signs and fixtures are local, Tim Ellis said.

“I built our shelves with hardwood that we bought at Martin Lumber on Broadway,” he said. “We had our labels printed at Alexander Printing on Rockefeller. We bought our main counter at Bramble Home Store on Hewitt, and we had our signs made by FastSigns, right across the street from our shop. We tried as much as possible to patronize Everett businesses,” he said.

Chai Cupboard: 2809 Colby Ave, Everett.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 5:30 pm.

Janice Podsada; jpodsada@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3097; Twitter: JanicePods

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Izaac Escalante-Alvarez unpacks a new milling machine at the new Boeing machinists union’s apprentice training center on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists union training center opens in Everett

The new center aims to give workers an inside track at Boeing jobs.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

People take photos and videos as the first Frontier Arlines flight arrives at Paine Field Airport under a water cannon salute on Monday, June 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Water cannons salute Frontier on its first day at Paine Field

Frontier Airlines joins Alaska Airlines in offering service Snohomish County passengers.

Amit B. Singh, president of Edmonds Community College. 201008
Edmonds College and schools continue diversity programs

Educational diversity programs are alive and well in Snohomish County.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

FILE — Jet fuselages at Boeing’s fabrication site in Everett, Wash., Sept. 28, 2022. Some recently manufactured Boeing and Airbus jets have components made from titanium that was sold using fake documentation verifying the material’s authenticity, according to a supplier for the plane makers. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)
Boeing adding new space in Everett despite worker reduction

Boeing is expanding the amount of space it occupies in… Continue reading

Hundreds wait in line to order after the grand opening of Dick’s Drive-In’s new location in Everett on Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In throws a party for opening day in Everett

More than 150 people showed up to celebrate the grand opening for the newest Dick’s in Snohomish County.

Patrick Russell, left, Jill Russell and their son Jackson Russell of Lake Stevens enjoy Dick’s burgers on their way home from Seattle on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. The family said the announcement of the Dick’s location in Everett “is amazing” and they will be stopping by whenever it opens in 2025. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In announces details for Thursday’s grand opening in Everett

Dick’s will celebrate its second Snohomish County location with four days of festivities.

Katie Wallace, left, checks people into the first flight from Paine Field to Honolulu on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Executive order makes way for Paine Field expansion planning

Expansion would be a long-range project estimated to cost around $300 million.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.