Scented Leaf Tea House opened the doors to its newest location this past Saturday, and Tucson now has a fifth reason to linger over a good cup of tea. The shop took over the former Starbucks at 3023-3025 E Speedway Blvd., a 3,667 square foot space at Speedway and Country Club Road, right between the University of Arizona and El Con Center.
For more than 15 years, Scented Leaf has been a Tucson favorite for loose leaf teas, wellness blends, and cold brew. It was also the first to pour teas on tap, which means faster service and more freedom to experiment with flavors. What regulars talk about most, though, is the refill policy. Your first refill is discounted, and your second is completely free as long as you keep your cup and return the same day, which gives you a good excuse to stay and try something new.
Staying is exactly what they want you to do. Scented Leaf calls itself a community tea center, and every location backs it up with cozy furniture, plants, shelves of books, and stacks of board games. Students can spread out with their notes, remote workers can settle in for the afternoon, and friends can take their time catching up. The goal is for each location to feel like a second home, and nobody is going to rush you out the door.
Owners Shane and Nin Barela built all of this on a leap of faith. In 2010, money was tight and they had just found out they were expecting, but they took the honeymoon they had always dreamed of in Spain anyway. In a small gift shop in Granada, they tried loose leaf tea for the first time and realized it was nothing like the bagged tea they grew up with. That one afternoon stuck with them, and they came home determined to share it. Over the next decade, what started as a souvenir turned into a thriving business that has served thousands of guests across five Tucson tea houses. Every cup is still meant to be a tribute to that moment in Granada, and the whole journey is proof that trusting your gut and chasing a dream can pay off.
If you are homesick for Tucson, Scented Leaf has you covered. Their online shop ships teas and cold brew packs anywhere, so you can build a one time box with your three favorites or set up a subscription and have a little taste of home show up on your doorstep.
Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR’s Retail Specialists, Natalie Furrier and Greg Furrier, Principal, represented the landlord in the transaction. C&W | PICOR is proud to be part of the Barelas’ story and to help bring more of Scented Leaf to Tucson.
Speedway Center still has room to grow, with a restaurant build out opportunity and an additional retail space available for lease. For leasing information, please contact Natalie Furrier at nfurrier@picor.com or 520-955-7663, or Greg Furrier at gfurrier@picor.com or 520-909-6111.
Photo Credits:
All original photography by Kate Zimmerman with C&W | PICOR. Please credit the photographer and C&W | PICOR when sharing or republishing these images.
Sources:
“Scented Leaf.” Tucson Love Letter, tucsonloveletter.com/articles/scented-leaf/.
“Our Story.” Scented Leaf Tea House, thescentedleaf.com/.
