Our Story

Our love of tea began in the fall of 2000, with a visit to a tea room in White Bear Lake. The quaint and serene environment was a welcome change from the fast-paced world we were accustomed to. We had both recently left jobs where we had worked together in a corporate environment, an unusual situation for a mother and daughter.

Shortly thereafter, we discovered another tea room in charming downtown Anoka that we started visiting on a regular basis. By the end of November 2001, we were saddened by the news that the owners, whom we had come to know quite well, had decided to sell. Going on nothing but a leap of faith, we decided to buy it for ourselves. By January 2002, we suddenly found ourselves as tea room owners. Now it was our turn to keep the tradition going, to create a welcoming sanctuary for women to gather and forget their troubles for an hour or two over a cup of tea.

In September 2008, we were devastated by the news that Linda had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Through a lot of tears, hope, and faith, we kept the tea room going and made it through her months of treatment and recovery. We were dealt another blow a year later when Andrea was diagnosed with uterine cancer in October 2009. With the help of numerous friends, family, and valued customers, we again rallied and kept the tea room going. We are both currently in remission. We hope that our faith and strength can be an inspiration to others going through difficult times, and that The Mad Hatter Tea Room can be a place of hope, healing, and celebration for all to enjoy.

 

Linda and Andrea, Owners