Steeped in Tradition, Baltica Tea Opens its Port Doors

Simply put, "it’s incredible," Executive Director of Port Washington Main Street Sara Grover said of the newly opened Baltica Tea Room and Gift Shop.  

The tea room, 223 N. Franklin St., opened its doors Monday after months of renovation, and "you wouldn’t even know the place," according to Grover.

Owners Urszula Cholowinska and Dan Micha spent the last five months renovating the building, formerly G.L. Graf Jewelers, and opened the doors to the public this week.  

Walking into Baltica Tea Room and Gift Shop, the renovations are apparent — the facade of the building was stripped of the shiny vitrolite tiles and large display windows were installed. Cholewinska said that the building’s face now looks as it did when it was constructed in 1854.  Inside, hardwood floors were put in and the old pressed tin ceiling was restored.  

After months of hard work, Cholewinska hopes to see her business become a place to visit for people in Port Washington.

"My vision is for people to bring a friend and talk," she said.

Although the tea room has only been open for a few days, Cholewinska is already seeing her vision fulfilled.  The tea room had a busy Memorial Day, she said, and a consistent flow of customers since.  

When visiting Baltica Tea Room and Gift Shop, patrons can pick from 36 varieties of loose leaf teas all hand-selected by Cholewinska; soon, customers will be able to purchase bulk teas.  

Tea drinkers can also purchase Wisconsin honey, jam and fudge while at the Baltica Tea Room.  Cholewinska also supports the Milwaukee-based Rishi Tea company by selling the company's teas in her shop.

She said she also worked with a local bakery for special desserts, such as a Baltica cheesecake, to accompany the tea service.  Cholewinska explained that all the desserts were custom designed by the bakery and can’t be found anywhere else, adding that even more special is the presentation.

"When it arrives, it’s like a piece of art," she said.

Cholewinska also features local artists inside her tea room, as well as handcrafted gifts from around the world.  She is especially proud of the Boloeslawiec pottery from her native Poland — traditional hand-painted ceramic pieces "that are meant to be used," Cholewinska said.  

These gifts give the tea room an international feel and play into the tea drinking tradition that .