When people talk about non-alcoholic queer spaces in Chicago, one of the first places mentioned is often Eli Tea Bar. And although owner Eli Majid didn’t initially open the store with that vision in mind, he’s glad it’s grown into its community role.
Eli Tea Bar opened nearly three years ago in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood and has evolved into a community staple. While the queer community can head to Northalsted for a night of bar hopping, they can come to the tea bar during the day or in the evening for a variety of promoted activities.
The original Eli Tea Bar in Birmingham, Michigan will be 10 years old this December. Before the shop’s inception, Majid simply sold teas as a side business at local farmer’s markets.
“It was definitely to create a job that I couldn’t find,” he said. “It was to create a space I didn’t see, but also I’ve always kept in mind that this business I’m creating has to be sustainable for myself and as a company.”
Majid graduated from Loyola with an undergraduate degree in plant biology, and has always been interested in both tea and business. He views his shop as a cross between a wine bar and a coffee shop, since teas also lend themselves to discussing blends, regions, cultures and more. He said he gravitated towards running a business around tea because it’s a beverage that more easily extends into the evening, unlike coffee.
Outside of the shops themselves, Eli Tea Bar supplies tea to establishments such as cafes, restaurants and hotels. Many of the teas are house blends, but some of them are also direct imports. In the near future, Majid said they’ll be launching canned non-alcoholic tonics, as well.
Although he didn’t intend to make the shop a well-known non-alcoholic—though he did envision it as queer—space, he said it’s been fun to see it grow in that direction. Over the past ten years, he said both shops have become this type of needed space.
“It was something that happened, but it was something where I could see the customers raising their hands, if that makes sense,” Majid said. “At some point, I think I had the initial idea, and then I think over time I actually gained the confidence to really run with the idea.”
Those ideas—especially those involving his evening events—have been the crux of the Chicago business. Eli Tea Bar boasts a variety of activities from open mics to writing groups to art creation nights and more. And they’re a big hit—Majid said the business is often hitting capacity.
Melissa Erikson has been doing stand up comedy for two years and began hosting the Friday open-mic nights at Eli for around a year ago. She became interested in Eli after seeing it was not only a queer place but owned by a queer person, which are to her as a trans woman.
“Queer spaces are so important to me to feel safe, to see myself reflected in my story, reflected in other people, to know that I’m less alone,” she said. “I’m turning 30 this year, but especially when I was younger, being in spaces like that [was] probably a little life-saving for me I can say in many ways. And now they’re just life-affirming.”
Even when she’s tired after long weeks, Erikson said her mood does a “total 180” after attending the Friday events and spending time with the community. She said every week, she sees people exchanging art and numbers, complimenting each other and forming relationships.
The Chicago shop has been growing, gaining more business and revenue every year, Majid said. He also thinks that the rise of people becoming sober-curious during and post-peak pandemic has added to the desire for non-alcoholic spaces. They’re also looking to have more dynamic social lives with nighttime options besides going to bars.
“What we’re doing did not exist when I was in college,” he said. “What we’re doing did not exist 10 years ago, five years ago and whatnot … I think the bars will always have a place in the queer community, and I love going out too. But what people are seeking now is they’re seeking more quiet spaces. They’re seeking introvert-friendly spaces. They’re really interested in being nerds.”
He’s also open to ideas from the community—tarot events, writing fun PowerPoints, anything “slow fun, living room fun.” He said they’re always looking for new events to cater to different parts of the community.
Although Majid said he doesn’t have any sort of metrics he uses to gauge “success,” he’s busy every night. And while other Chicago business owners he knew were telling him about down in sales this past winter, Eli Tea Shop surpassed all its sales goals. There’s no expansion plans currently in place, but he said the team is “always keeping [its] eyes open.”
“We are proof of the concept that a sober space is needed,” he said. “We have lots of programming. We have a diverse amount of customers—every age, every cultural background. And it’s authentically forming.”
If you’re looking to visit, Eli Tea Bar hosts weekly trivia nights Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., art nights Thursdays at 8 p.m. and open mic nights Fridays at 8 p.m. You can also check out their events page to find other specific activities coming up, or just head up to Andersonville to sample their wide variety of teas.
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.