Ivory Iris

Location: Riverfront District
Type: Kine
Owner:
Description:
The Ivory Iris is meant to be a refuge for the artistically-inclined night owl, trading morning Starbucks coffees in for late night herbal teas and exchanging the bars with basement clubs for a quieter, calmer space.

The rustic brick building has an antiquated charm, stone and caulk faded from many decades of sunlight and humidity. Two towering bay windows perch on either side of the bell-lined front entrance, their view to the interior cut short by heavy, mustard-colored velvet curtains. Inside, the floor is lined with neat, meticulous rows of vibrant, rich forest green tiles and the visible portions of wall are papered with a jewel-toned floral. Flowerless plants hang lazily from the ceiling throughout, verdant and flourishing tendrils drooping down and lending life to the air.

A heavy oak bar wraps around one corner with a handful of stools spaced generously apart from one another along its edge. Behind the bar, several electric kettles are surrounded by myriad glass jars of flowery, herbal tea blends and spices, and one gas stovetop visibly holds two antique kettles. The wall there is chalkboard, prices and blends listed in colorful, sprawling cursive.

This tea shop, open from 6pm to 6am, hosts one decent sturdy stage for poetry slams and weekly karaoke - and a large back wall of built-in shelving lined floor to ceiling with secondhand books for use within the shop. The two bay windows host a nook each, the booths comfortable and kept private with a spinning contraption that allows patrons to envelop their seating area with the yellow curtains hung there. Small round wrought iron tables populate the rest of the floor comfortably, the distance between them allowing for the easy flow of movement and protection from disturbance. At every table sits two matching wrought iron chairs, mid-rise backs of ornate iron swirls decorative but not gaudy.