Urban Pioneer Tobin Ropes used to be a wine man. He knows all sorts of fancy dumbass words to describe the taste of fermented grapes. He is a snob about it, and you feel good about what you have in your glass because he is somehow making everything very comfortable. Driving one day whilst attempting to reconcile a devastating robbery that left him without his esteemed wine business, Tobin realized tea.



If there were a South 12th Street in downtown Tacoma, it would run from my house to the Mad Hat Tea Company.



When the sun rises up the steps from Pacific Avenue to Commerce Street and through Ropes and his partner Maureen McHugh‘s front door, a shaft of golden light tumbles its way into the back lounge of the cozy, informal shop nestled into the ground floor. This is usually way before it’s legal to drink tea in Tacoma, but if you don’t tell anyone, I will let you in on a little secret.  At the Mad Hat, you never know what time it is, really. All the clocks are full of mustard.



Walk in and ask yourself where the counter is. Wait, how do I buy this and go? Wait, what, no frappetea’no? Where is the pomp? Where is the secret sauce? Bags and bags of loose dried plant material are littered about and poke out of drawers, whilst strange and surreal artwork twists off the walls into the Buddha’s praying hands. Painted ink notes direct you toward clean cups, and sampling is encouraged. With three to five pots already brewed, your journey into the rabbit hole starts with your palette.



Ropes will ask you nicely to walk outside with your cell phone. He isn’t interested in wireless Internet, and is offended by people who can’t understand the idea of taking a load off and having a conversation. The innovation of the Mad Hat lies in the inspiration found by contemplating the unfurling green leaves of “dragon-well.“ Tobin watches over your shoulder and gives you a play-by-play of the chemical reaction that is occurring and what it’s going to do for your body. These are truly the finest teas in the world. This shop is about sitting down with a cup of tea and an enlightened frame of mind. Like the rest of the celebrants of your unbirthday, the hat has nothing to do with a package or a product or a market. Here you are a person and you are enjoying yourself enjoying your beverage. There is no rush, there is no spoon, but ask for cream and you will get exactly one earful.



[Mad Hat Tea Company, 1130 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.441.2111]