Opened first in Shawinigan in 2015, and then moved to downtown Trois-Rivières since May 2016, Urbanithé is the fruit of Sophie Grenier's creative spirit. Originally from Trois-Rivières and living in Montreal for several years, Ms. Grenier decided in 2015 to follow her heart and return to her native region, before starting her tea business. Perfectly combining its artistic sense and its versatility, the tea shop located on rue Badeaux, as well as the many products that are offered there, merit a visit.
It is quickly evident, while conversing with Sophie Grenier, that the woman with multiple interests is truely passionate. She went so far as to design seven tea ranges corresponding to the seven archetypes of the Persona method (used in organizational psychology). Ms. Grenier belives that each type of personality prefers certain types of tea, so she has created unique blends for everyone. It can also guide you when trying to choose a tea to give as a gift - you can rely on the character traits of the person to make the choice!
Since last January, the shop also offers sweet (brownies, cupcakes, scones) and salty (sandwiches on scones and healthy salads) dishes. These dishes are available to eat on the spot or for take away - the containers are also compostable, and the salads are served in glass jars (very practical!). Catering and lunch boxes for the office are also available, and everything is homemade. During my visit, I tasted the succulent scone BLT, accompanied by a tasty salad with tomatoes, olives, feta and basil, as well as a refreshing bubble tea with fusion pearls (La Belle Raspoise, pearls with peach) . A perfect lunch! Special mention to bacon baked for six hours with maple syrup and smoked tea, simply delicious, and homemade tea mayonnaise, which complements the sandwiches very well.
For experienced tea lovers wishing to live the experience without moving to the UK, the shop also host Afternoon Tea events for groups of 6 or more (reservation required). Teas and sweets are served around a large table prepared for the occasion, vintage crockery included - enough to feel immersed for a few hours!
Céline Dion fans will be happy to hear that Mrs. Grenier has created a tea for the occasion of the star's arrival in Trois-Rivières in 2016. La Diva is a white tea with captivating aromas of champagne and raspberry as elegant as our Celine! But do not worry, there's no need to be a star to have a tea in your image: Sophie Grenier can also design custom mixes on request, for business and individual customers. This is the perfect opportunity to have a tea that represents you entirely, or to offer a successful bespoke gift!
Always ambitious, Sophie Grenier wants to develop new tea product for distribution on a larger scale. Passionate about research and development, she constantly finds new ways to integrate tea into a myriad of products (syrups, salade dressings, mayonnaise, jams, etc.) This is the concept behind Tea Factorie, a creative laboratory - the latest featuring Morille Québec's northern fruits. For now, Urbanithé's products can be found at some points of sale in Trois-Rivières, including the restaurant Buck, the Delta hotel and the Oui GO Hotel!
With more than 250 varieties of teas and a number of accessories and gift boxes, the boutique in Trois-Rivières has nothing to envy about the specialized chains of stores. Whether you prefer chaï, matcha or bubble tea, Urbanithé will have something to satisfy you, no matter your personali(tea)!
Marie-Pier, Operations Coordinator
Hôtel Oui GO!
Urbanithé
Boutique de thé urbaine
1555, rue Badeaux, Trois-Rivières (Québec) G9A 4T4
819 840-9299