March 29, 2024

New tearoom will provide a different experience to the finer things in life

Bohemian-style establishment to open in Newton

A new tearoom has made its way into Newton along First Avenue and it may not be the type of tearoom most people are accustomed to.

Twin sisters Nancy Egnozzi and Susan Grigsby decided they wanted to open a tearoom in Newton but this won’t be the first time the pair has been involved with owning a similar establishment within Jasper County. Their new tearoom is named Courtney’s Bohemian Tea Parlour.

“We used to have a tearoom here ... and now we are opening another one right next door to where I live,” Egnozzi said.

Grigsby and Egnozzi, both of Newton, said it has been some time since they last participated with their previous tearoom. Egnozzi cited the desire to do it again because “we just wanted something fun to do.”

“We missed the people coming in and talking and hearing what they are doing and where they live and just fun,” Grigsby said.

Of course customers can expect tea will be on the menu, but this time around they will have a regular Iowa Wine license to allow them to serve wine by the glass and also create some new combinations, although it will be limited to just wine.

“We are going to have kind of specialty drinks where you mix tea with alcohol,” Egnozzi said.

The setting for the tearoom is in a Victorian-style house but Egnozzi doesn’t want that to confuse people as she said it is not a Victorian-style tearoom. The bohemian portion of the name has led the twin sisters to shy away from a traditional tearoom experience.

“Even though it is in a Victorian house it is decorated in all bright colors ... It is very different looking than a traditional tearoom,” Egnozzi said.

The tearoom will serve sandwiches along with the tea and wine as well as coffee. Egnozzi said they don’t have traditional teacups, so the liquid will be served in coffee mugs and other containers. The inside of the tearoom is also vibrantly decorated to tie in with bohemian.

“Really bohemian just means that it’s artsy and different and fun,” Grigsby said.

Egnozzi added, “Bohemian is bright colors and nothing matches ... Mixtures of all different things.”

The official opening of the tearoom located at 517 First Ave W. will be Dec. 5 and the normal hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. It is reservation only as Egnozzi said the parking is limited.

“People seemed to be really excited that were are opening another one,” Egnozzi said.

Grigsby added, “You can see by the decorations and the colors we want it to be a fun but welcoming place.”

For more information on Courtney's Bohemian Tea Parlour, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/courtneysbohemiantea/.

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com