According to the American Dietetic Association, there’s almost no downside to tea. The only issue is that there hasn’t been an American culture around it the same way there is around coffee — at least not one that exists beyond stodgy tea rooms and hotel lobbies. But if the last 10 years have shown us anything, it’s that tea is here to stay.
In an attempt to meet demands, a group of thrifty entrepreneurs have opened a slew of casual tea parlors across the country. Chicago saw the founding of Argo Tea in 2003, with its goal of becoming the “Starbucks of tea” — a.k.a a place where people will want to meet a friend, flip through a magazine, or catch up on work.