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About us
Stay a while and get to know us!
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OUR STORY
From our beginnings as a class project to the unexpected inclusion in FX’s “Portlandia”, one thing has remained constant — our drive to share the joy of tea with our community.
Tea Chai Té began as a tandem effort between co-owners and husband-and-wife duo Dominic and Angela Valdes. Together through college, the pair pursued the corporate lifestyle for which they'd planned; the issue, though, arose quite quickly — they weren't happy.
OUR MISSION
When we first kicked off this journey, we had one goal.
We just wanted to make great tea!
While that mission hasn't changed, it's evolved thanks to the people that have given us their time and attention over the years. We've watched teens mature into adults in our shops, seen romances bloom, and anxiously waited to see the next masterwork to come from our most understated guests — paintings, poetry, and more, each created in our own slice of paradise.
Perhaps most importantly, the people that have supported us haven't always done so through direct patronage.
We've seen time and again how important community is when times get tough. While the pandemic is an obvious example, we've had numerous instances where a loving passerby or customers stopped to help and show a touch of kindness. And each time, it reinforced that what we were doing, the spaces we'd created — they were good.
This switch in names wasn't an overnight process. In fact, our branding has grown every few years to reflect the changes we've undergone; it felt natural then, and it feels natural now.
Why Portal?
We chose the name Portal Tea for a few reasons — first of all, Tea Chai Té can be a pain to pronounce. While that's not a huge problem for a teahouse, we wanted to begin expanding where our teas were offered. Realistically, that meant that ease of pronunciation was important — after all, it's hard to ask for something if you can't say it! (If you think that's bad, wait until you have to say it over the phone for the first time.)
OUR CORE VALUES
Endless Possibilities | We are forward-thinking risk takers inspired by the world around us. We believe in embracing creative potential and encouraging personal growth and exploration.
Intrinsic Beauty | Beauty is all around us waiting to be discovered. We believe slowing down and focusing on the present moment to help us find tranquility, happiness, and harmony in our lives
Meaningful Connection | Tea has the power to bring people together and strengthen connections. We believe in building deeper and more trusting relationships by remaining open, respectful, and humble
Our Philosophy
From the plants in our nooks to the incredible artwork on our walls
Portal Tea has a simple mindset — to create delicious tea in cozy spaces that are safe for all. We want our shops to reflect their surroundings; for that reason, we use the mantra Tea as You Are as the guiding light in all we do
This is demonstrated most clearly in our shops — including a 1920 red caboose and Victorian home — whose unique characteristics are highlighted in a reflection of both the local community and those that keep the shops running.
Over the years, Angela has curated a collection of murals, table art, and hand-crafted artistic lighting that allows each shop's best qualities to shine. In that same vein, some of our teahouses host art showings to lend customers the opportunity to find inspiration in the work of other local creators.
In other words, from the plants in our nooks to the incredible artwork on our walls, it's all community-oriented. While this may seem like a small step, it helps keep us centered — after all, without our community, we wouldn't be here today