Wandering around the streets of Greenwich, I stumbled upon a local tea shop, Bosie. I reached for the glass door, and my eyes were greeted by glittering golden tea tins around me. Immediately, the relaxed atmosphere engulfed me.
The employees laugh, and playfully push each other like siblings would, bringing an unexpected smile to my face. As I took a seat at the counter, sweet fragrances of rose, strawberry, and honey filled the air around me.
I was quickly greeted by two young girls - a giggly, redhead by the name of Kara and a California native, Tiffany. Kara is the newly hired manager of the tea shop, although she has been working here for over a year. She grew up in central Florida, and graduated school with a degree in economics. Moving up in the tea shop was actually quite unintentional for her, but she adores the city, her co-workers, and especially Greenwich. As we talked about living in New York City, Kara pointed out that she definitely has to hold her own here wherever she goes. She warned me that “people will just put themselves out there - but [she’s] getting used to it,” which, frankly, just comes with living in Manhattan.
The shop is continually filled with locals of the Village, who come once or twice a week, the most popular times being breakfast or around 4 pm. An employee I got to talking with, Tiffany, told me they are busy almost everyday, but they get to know their customers and each other really well. One of their regulars, Mary, comes to Bosie once or twice a week to get her breakfast, two chocolate chip brownies.
After living in the city for almost forty years as an art curator, Mary decided that there is no other place in the whole world she would rather live than Greenwich. As she exited the lovely shop, she turned around and exclaimed, “This city is interesting! Very interesting. But, if you ever want to move somewhere, this is no doubt the place to be.” This joyful attitude displayed in the customers of Bosie really represents Greenwich and the quality of life that can be found here.
Not long after I first entered the shop, the vibe of the tea shop was obvious. The employees bounced around with each other and their friendship felt so genuine and comfortable.
After chatting some more with those working in the shop, Tiffany, a California-native, commented on how liberating the city was. “No matter where you go,” she said, “people are more free.” This rang true in Bosie. This little tea shop on a side street in Greenwich serves as a getaway for those living the busy city-life. The customers and employees were stress-free, something you don’t see a lot in Manhattan. Their attitudes were infectious, making it impossible to pick up my things and say goodbye to the cafe that stole my heart.
By Samantha Daichendt