Business Spotlight: Tiffany's Tea Room specializes in gourmet beverages

It's 2:30 p.m., and a stylishly dressed businesswoman has popped into Tiffany's Tea Room for a spot of tea and a couple of sugar cookies topped with bright red sprinkles.

Owner Tiffany Grey makes the sugar cookies, which are extremely popular among the shop's regular customers.

"This is the perfect business for someone like me who loves to bake," said Grey. "I make all the baked goods we sell here. I also make birthday cakes, gourmet cakes, and made-to-order bakery items for customers who are too busy to bake themselves."

Grey started Tiffany's Tea Room seven years ago as an add-on business to the Connoisseur's Corner, which sells more than 80 different kinds of gourmet coffees and many coffee-related products, such as coffee pots and flavored syrups. Both businesses share the same retail space in the Plaza Towers Shopping Center on South Glenstone.

Tea aficionados who come to Tiffany's Tea Room can find a wide variety of loose-leaf teas, herbal teas and gourmet ice teas, as well as many name-brand teas such as the Republic of Tea. The majority of Grey's business, however, comes from the Connoisseur's Corner.

The Connoisseur's Corner, which was founded more than 25 years ago, has had a succession of owners over the years. Marshall and Gaylen Ball, Grey's parents, purchased the shop seven years ago.

Grey ran and managed the Connoisseur's Corner for her parents and set up the tearoom that bears her name. In July 2000, she bought both businesses from her parents and now is the sole owner.

Since the buyout, Grey has redecorated and renovated. An interior wall was knocked out and the shop's office space was converted into an additional seating area. This area is used to seat customers who come in for a sandwich, soup, baked potato, or to sample the daily lunch special, served between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Business owners and employees who work in the area frequent both Tiffany's Tea Room and the Connoisseur's Corner, and some candidly admitted they come to the shop when they need a break from their hectic jobs.

Throughout the day, a steady stream of businesspeople hurry in, soak up the peaceful, cozy atmosphere, and leave minutes later with a cup of tea, coffee or other gourmet beverage in hand.

Although Tiffany's Tea Room and the Connoisseur's Corner have a loyal base of customers, a number of new tea and coffee houses have opened up in Springfield in recent years, and competition has increased. To keep pace, Grey often travels to supply markets and shows in Chicago and Kansas City where she samples new products and learns about industry trends.

"It's hard when you own a business that's been around a long time to come up with new ideas," she said. "I've managed to keep things exciting by adding new products and services. We're getting ready to add 15 more flavored coffees, a coffee club, which offers discounts to patrons, and we're going to start delivering coffee and tea products to customers who live within the city limits of Springfield."

In addition to these new services, Grey does gift baskets during the holiday season and for special occasions. Putting gift baskets together is easy, according to Grey, since the shop contains coffees, teas, gourmet foods, botanical bath products, aroma-therapy candles, chocolates, nuts and other items commonly found in gift baskets.

Grey is considering opening a second shop in south Springfield. In the meantime, she plans to keep promoting her businesses. In November 2000, Grey catered the Ronald McDonald House tour. A month later she showcased her businesses with a booth at the annual Wine and Food Celebration in Springfield.