Teahaus Reopening: Nostalgia and Whimsy are So Back

Skylar Quackenbush ‘29

Photograph by Skylar Quackenbush ‘29

As the leaves fall and crisp fall weather begins, a Sarah Lawrence staple returns. The Teahaus, nestled in trees located on the North Lawn, is officially open for the school year from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Teahaus offers affordable coffees and teas while providing a wonderfully cozy space for students to study, sip their drinks and socialize with one another. 

The Teahaus is cash only, but it offers a price point that is nearly impossible to beat, whether on or off campus. With coffees costing $3 and teas $2, it is unlikely one could find a better deal elsewhere. The Teahaus is also student-run, and every dollar spent on coffees, teas or pastries goes back into the Student Scholarship Fund. This means that every dollar comes back to Sarah Lawrence students. 

On top of its ability to provide cost-effective caffeine for college students and its wide variety of beverages, the Teahaus has a long history as one of the original structures on campus. Originally a gazebo, the Teahaus eventually became known as the “Senior House” a place where seniors could smoke cigarettes on campus since it was banned in dormitories. It took on many lives throughout the decades, from sending care packages to a Parisian school during World War II, to a meeting place for the school newspaper in the 70s, to eventually the Community House in 1984, a place destined for conversation and casual hangouts. 

If the Teahaus were to be described in one word, it would be comforting. Its charm is created with its dazzling fairy lights and light music. The Teahaus provides a welcome break from any atmosphere found elsewhere on campus. It is a place to slow down, take a breath and enjoy the moment you’re in. It’s conversationalist, casual and nostalgic. 

Teahaus employee Rosalie Baron ‘28 said that the Teahaus is so special because “Sarah Lawrence is not known for being the chattiest campus,” but that the Teahaus defies these norms by acting as a “liminal conversationalist place.” It is a place for students to do whatever they see fit and, most importantly, talk to each other. 

This feeling is what truly defines the well-loved Teahaus. With a deep and wide-ranging history and its comforting vibes, it brings back the feel of that late 2000s coffee shop ambiance everyone seems to be yearning for lately. It’s a welcoming space on campus that truly does fulfill that desire for a return to nostalgia and whimsy.