Spout It Out

The Encore Center is adding a tea room to its upstairs loft, so we’re spilling the deets. The concept began with a Nutcracker Tea Party that the center does for kids each winter. “We had cups stored all over,” laughs Sarah Lankford, owner of the Encore Center, adding that there really are no tea rooms anymore. The Dogwood Tea Room has a cozy, vintage feel complete with a side play room.

The space will be available for private tea parties for kids and adults alike. It could host ladies’ nights or “mom’s mornings out” as well as things like baby showers or wedding showers. There will also be occasional curated events you can buy tickets for.

“We named it ‘Dogwood Tea Room’ because we plan to use all North Carolina products,” says Sarah. “I’ve always loved working with culinary stuff,” says Gigi Blackard, who is helping manage the tearoom.

The joint venture with Encore even includes a “princess training” for those in the acting and musical theater programs, so that kids’ tea parties could have a princess as a guest.

“We want it to be a space for the moms, too. A lot of moms go hang out at Chapman’s or a coffee shop while their kids are in a dance class,” says Sarah. “We figured, why not have them upstairs in our tearoom?” 

• Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m.: Attend the Mommy, Me and Rapunzel Tea with story time and charcuterie. Get tickets here.
• Interesting in renting? Learn more here.