Holiday pop-up at The Capilano Tea House's new Gastown location

Dec 20 2017, 3:02 am

Locally-based company The Capilano Tea House and Botanical Soda Co. has secured a permanent brick and mortar location, at 221 Abbott Street.

Newly renovated, The Capilano Tea House’s shopfront, which is owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Michelle and Paisley Nahanee from the Squamish Nation, is scheduled to open February 2016.

Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz

A sample of The Capilano Tea Houses bagged blends (Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz)

With a small amount of time on their hands before the tea house launches in February, the Nahanees have decided to play host this holiday season to a collective pop-up market. 12 Days of Local will run from December 11 to 23.

Housed in The Capilano Tea House’s new Gastown digs, 12 Days of Local will showcase a range of locally-based vendors and their products, which include preservative-free edibles, warming beverages, packaged teas, potted plants and floral creations, beautiful crafts and apparel, handcrafted leather goods, and toxin-free skincare products.

Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz

Andy Chapin, Max Rivest, Tegan Woo, Levi Gogolinski, Paisley & Michelle Nahanee, Melissa Nkomo, Blaike Allen, & Hilary Yu (Vancity Buzz)

Participating vendors include:

Of course Capilano’s refreshing botanical sodas and warming teas will also be on hand. In addition to selling The Capilano’s pre-packaged loose leaf and bagged teas (look out for the recently released red clover, ginger, hibiscus, and white tea blend) Michelle and Paisley will also be offering their signature Rose Lemonade soda, as well as festive spiced apple cider. Hot tea lattes will also be available, and served along side home-baked bannock bread.

12 Days of Local (Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz)

12 Days of Local goodies (Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz)

Accompanied by butter from The Local Churn and preserves from East Van Jam, the bannock bread will be prepared by Chief Janice George, an esteemed member and respected elder of the Squamish First Nation. In addition to mentoring Michelle and Paisley, Chief Janice George helped devise the traditional teas offered. Michelle and Paisley formulated the Weaver’s Blend specifically for Chief Janice George, to honour her work as a master weaver and teacher.

While the focus of the holiday pop-up is on local artisans and their products, Michelle and Paisley also want to bring attention to their Indigenous culture, and as such will be donating 20 per cent of all packaged teas sales to Kwi Awt Stelmexw, a non-profit community-based organization in Vancouver focused on strengthening all aspects of Skwomesh heritage, language, and culture.

12 Days of Local

Where: The Capilano Tea House, 221 Abbott Street
When: December 11 to 23, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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