Interview with Rebecca Goldschmidt

The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop is a magical tea shop and apothecary in Northern Liberties. We sat down with Becky to talk about her, the shop, and the future of the tea room.

Hello! What’s your name, where you are from, did you go to college/what for? Rebecca Goldschmidt, Bridgeton New Jersey, University of Delaware for Fine Art with a focus in Sculpture

Why Philadelphia? It seemed like a natural progression, I visited Philly a lot in high school and it was comfortable for me, it had everything I needed and was close to everywhere I wanted to go.

How long has the Random Tea Room been operating?11 years! We opened on my mothers birthday in February.

What inspired you to start the company and run it the way you do? I needed a safe space and an impetus to lead a healthy life. I was also a bit of a recluse and needed help incorporating myself into the community. It turns out that tea drinkers are interesting, compassionate and ready to live life!

What is your favorite tea? That’s a tough one. I love the Chai, but in small doses. I’m big into black teas lately because they are a good carrier for fatty milk but I spent most of my tea drinking days in purity with no milk or sugar. I loved cuddling up with a pot of Hojicha, a Japanese green, after a long day. Hoji is low in caffeine because it is mostly the twigs from the tea plant, it is also roasted which lowers the caffeine even more.

What is something about you that most people don’t know?I’m kinda obsessed with mushrooms, especially lions mane or Pom Pom. Aside from being cute and cuddly, they are also delicious and nourishing for your brain. I eat them for breakfast almost every day.

And anything else you’d like to highlight? The tea room has launched a crowdfunding campaign to start a tea subscription service that leads into a refillable tea station program, all with a focus on sustainability. We will be hosting a Tea and Herb Blending workshop at Vault & Vine in the near future which will feature the tea station.