Tea with a purpose

You never know where a passion for pretty things will lead you. Thada Ziegler’s love of teacups, beautiful dishes and vintage silver led her – and her husband – to sleeping in a closet.

“My husband and I are nuts about estate sales,” Thada said. Over time she developed a huge collection of teacups and related serving items.

A volunteer coordinator at the Union Gospel Mission, where Ziegler helped out, knew of her collection and suggested Ziegler host a tea for the residents of Anna Ogden Hall.

Ziegler and her husband love to entertain and agreed to host the tea. She knew the dining room in their Colbert home wasn’t big enough to accommodate a large group. But, their master bedroom was huge. Her husband Warren, moved their king-size bed into the walk-in closet. Three years later, it’s still there.

“That first tea was so much fun.” Ziegler said. She knew she wanted to do it again, and decided to use all the proceeds to raise money for Ogden Hall.

Soon Ziegler was hosting teas every month, and Taste and See Ministries was born. Wide French doors open to reveal Ziegler’s former bedroom transformed into a charming tea parlor. A garden-themed mural arches over one wall, and sunlight pours through the windows. Crystal water goblets sparkle.

Tables topped with lace are set with heavy silver and delicate cups and saucers. Fringed lamps and fragile china rest on lovingly restored side tables. Hand embroidered vintage napkins and antique linens add to the old-world feel of the room.

“I love to hear women laughing,” Ziegler said. “I like to pamper them.”

In two years Taste and See raised $10,000 for Anna Odgen Hall. Recently, Jan Pike, a former customer, started helping Ziegler with the teas. The ladies also began teaching a class at Ogden Hall called, Tea 101. The class covers everything from how to set a proper table to the history of tea. At the end of the class, Pike and Ziegler host a tea party for the residents who’ve completed the course. “The women are transformed,” said Pike.

“They love the pretty things,” Pike said. “They’re just like us.”

The Tea 101 class is part of a new direction for Taste and See Ministries, now a licensed nonprofit organization. Ziegler wants to offer job skills and employment to women who are transitioning out of the home. The class is a training ground for women who will one day be employed by Taste and See. “We want these ladies to contribute to society again,” Ziegler said.

Last year she closed the doors on the tearoom in her home to prepare for the next phase of this ministry. Well, she tried. “People still keep calling,” she said with a laugh.

Ziegler and her board of directors plan to re-open Taste and See as a full-service tearoom and retail store. They’re currently looking for the perfect spot to launch the new business. She and Pike believe the venture will succeed because guests will enjoy the ambience of afternoon tea, coupled with the satisfaction of helping others. “It’s a rare opportunity,” said Ziegler.

Pike and Ziegler take their tea seriously. “We want to be known as the tea experts in Spokane,” said Pike. They plan to serve homemade treats, including Ziegler’s huckleberry scones, as well as a large selection of teas.

Ziegler glanced around the room and said, “This all started because we really just wanted to share our pretty things.”