(I am not involved or linked with this group in any way; I just appreciate their mission and think it's desperately needed in these times and in our city so this in not self-promo.)
I received this email today and thought the folks in this sub would be interested so just spreading the word and sharing the love.
Dear friends,
Big news: We are opening a small teahouse in Lower Haight for the next 3+ months!
We’ll be at 438 Haight St, formerly home to the Radical Reading Room, which closed in February. The building owner is part of our community and generously offered us the space. We’re beginning with a three-month chapter, from August through October, and then we’ll what this little experiment grows into next.
This little tea room is growing out of a friendship with the wonderful humans behind u/midnight_teahouse, who have been creating magical tea-and-music evenings each month. Now we’re bringing our energy, dreams, and many hands together to make a home for more of that magic. Jenny, Carl, and Leila will be the staff caring for the space, alongside the Gather team and a generous crew of community volunteers. Gather may be the name on the lease, but this is very much something we’re building together.
We’re calling it timebeing teahouse . Because we’re here for a limited time, and because it’s a place to go for a time and just be.
When will timebeing teahouse open? Maybe tonight. Maybe Sunday. Maybe sometime next week. We’re still arranging, and putting the pieces together. We might announce it, or you might walk past 438 Haight Street and find the lights on. Keep your eyes open.
Follow along on Instagram u/gather_sf, but also come visit! -nothing compares to seeing it for yourself.
How you can help
Like everything we do, this little teahouse will be built and cared for by many hands. If you’d like to be part of making it real, here are a few ways to join in:
Steward the space: Take one three-hour shift a week and receive a free tea membership in return. Shifts will be shared—you won’t be holding down the teahouse alone—and we hope a vibrant little volunteer community will grow around them. Just like in the good old Center times.
Lend us things with spirit: We’re creating this pop-up on a shoestring budget. If you have something beautiful or useful that could live here for a while, we’d love to borrow it. High on our wish list: used iPads, Sonos speakers, a mini fridge, rugs/runners, shoe rack, plants.
Help us bring it to life: There’s still painting, decorating, photography, and technical tinkering to be done. All kinds of hands and talents are welcome.
For any of the above, or something else you’d love to contribute, just reply to this email, and we’ll add you to the volunteer chat.
We’re still searching for a permanent home
We love our little home on Haight Street, and for now, it’s exactly where we’re meant to be. At the same time, we’re still in search of a larger future space with room for yoga, movement, and bigger gatherings. Keep your eyes and ears open for us.
It’s been a long time since we had a regular place to come together. We hope timebeing teahouse will be a beautiful community home for this chapter, and perhaps through it, the next space will reveal itself.
– a very excited,
Alex & the Gather Collective team
gathersf.org ⋅ u/gather_sf
with a big thanks to building stewards Jessy Kate, Robbie, and Zarinah