Columbia Kate's Tea House:
Many folks have reported that walking into Kate's Teahouse is like taking a deep breath in an aromatherapy manufacturing center. There are so many aromas and essences swirling around, You will feel both relaxed and invigorated at the same time. Tea and history go together like, well, tea leaves and hot water. The 1850's mining town, Columbia, is literally steeped with essences of treasure, adventure and stories. Columbia Kate's spin on the age-old drink tells its own story while offering antiques, specialized gifts and even antique buttons which are notorious story tellers themselves. Seated at tables named after real mining claims of Columbia's heyday, a guest may learn why women of early California had entrepreneurial opportunities like no other state at that time. Over a cup of tea, stories fly through the air like dimes from the old barn's reputed ghost of a murdered French woman. She is said to have worked in a bakery on the same site before there was a barn. Why she likes dimes, no one knows.
Columbia Kate's Bakery:
Opened on February 1, 2013, six years to the day after we opened Columbia Kate's Teahouse. Our chefs do all the baking for the Teahouse plus make available a wide selection of sweet and savory items in our retail cases. The several wholesome bread choices, quiches, pot pies, hot meat or egg pocket sandwiches are always available along with cookies, brownies, turnovers, scones and our fabulous cinnamon rolls. Our popular pocket sandwiches called "Runsas" are a yeast bread bun with a meal baked inside. Try the breakfast Runsa with Egg, Bacon and cheese, or a lunch Runsa of ground beef, cabbage and Swiss cheese.
Columbia Kate's Boutique:
Opened adjacent to the bakery at the same time is a retail space that allowed us to expand the offering of favorite items that had been present in the Teahouse for the years. In the Teahouse lobby, up the stairs, and on the walls were found unique clothing and accessories that became to be known exclusively as "The Teahouse". They all now have a new home and room for much more in the Boutique. With the added space afforded by three rooms, Kate's has been able to now include a dressing room, more buttons, consignment items from local artisans which include photography, paintings and hand-made wearables plus a wide selection of gift items.