You ever walked into a place and was just taken aback? That was how I felt walking into Floating Mountain. Call me crazy, but I felt like I was walking straight to heaven.

 

Floating Mountain is a tea house and an art gallery. Located on the second floor of a building, one can overlook the busy city streets while they are there. Ring the bell next to Floating Mountain label and Elina will let you in. The teahouse isn’t big but it definitely isn’t small. The space is clean and well lit. I would say it’s a cozy place that makes you want to stay.

Elina is the owner of Floating Mountain and how this teahouse came to be is like a story out of a movie. Elina had spent 20 years working in corporate finance and spent 10 years looking to start a business but nothing ever really worked out. A day at the yoga studio she attends and as she was leaving, across the hall was an empty space and Elina was in love. That was the beginning of Floating Mountain.

 

Floating Mountain offer 65 different types of tea from Mainland China. Different variation of green tea, yellow tea, white tea, red tea, oolong, and puerh.

What really sets Floating Mountain apart from other teahouses are the little things Elina does. Everything goes back to the decisions Elina makes. There are no plumbing at Floating Mountain. Elina brings all the water needed back to the teahouse. One might question why do something so laborious when you can make your life easier. Of course, it is about the end result. To make the tea leaves shine. Elina also choose where she gets her tea leaves from. She wants to know how it is made, where it was made, who made it. All those little details. This way, she can let her customers know. She also serves all the customer herself. I think that is what I love about Floating Mountain. We can feel the owner’s love for the space and the tea she makes. Fun fact, Floating Mountain is the only place where you have to take your shoes off before entering.

Elina would love to expand her business but she is not trying to expand for the sake of expanding. She hopes to expand with people that study, know, and love tea as much as herself. She doesn’t want us to just drink the tea but to also learn and appreciate it.

 

Like any other business in the 21st century, Floating Mountain is promoted through social media and the Floating Mountain website. There are also events that are held there like tea workshops and movie nights.

Interviewee: Elina Medvedeva

Teahouse: Floating Mountain

Address: 239 West 72nd Street, 2F, New York, NY 10023