It’s time for some good news following May 16’s devastating tornado which ripped through parts of Clayton, the CWE, a large swath of the north side and into Illinois. So, here is the first of several articles highlighting the positive things that are happening in the neighborhood.
The following article about The London Tea Room’s reopening in the CWE was recently published in the June 2025 issue of CWEA Griffin. To view the June issue in its entirety, click here.
For devotées of The London Tea Room, which closed in Downtown West early last fall, a reading of the tea leaves reveals very positive signs. Joshua and Nathan Richardson, nephews of the beloved tearoom’s proprietor, Jackie James, are resurrecting the family business and opening in a new location in the Central West End.
The brothers have leased a former restaurant space at 255 Union Blvd. in what is now called The Era Collective, formerly known as 275 On the Park. The three buildings—located between Lindell and Pershing—were built in the mid-1920s and were named the Gatesworth, Congress, and Senate.
The London Tea Room has been a family affair since Josh and Nathan’s grandparents, Pat and Alan, emigrated from England to St. Louis with their three children in 1988. In 1995, the couple opened a shop called Old English Pine Company. In 2002, daughters Anna Myers and Jackie James joined the venture. In 2007, they moved what then became known as English Living to the Ely Walker Lofts at 1520 Washington Ave. The shop featured English furniture and accessories, and because the family found it impossible to find a good “cuppa” in St. Louis, it also housed the original London Tearoom.
English Living closed in 2012, but the tearoom remained, and In February 2014 Alan and Pat moved The London Tea Room to Morgan Ford Rd. in Tower Grove South. At that time, Jackie James was named manager. After her parents retired in 2022, James became the owner and relocated the business to a much larger two-story space on Locust in Downtown West. She closed the business in 2024 so she could spend more time with her daughter who has a progressive disease. James continues to operate the e-commerce side of the business, The London Tea Merchant, selling the brand’s popular selection of teas and accessories online.
Josh, who works in IT, and Nathan, who works in the restaurant industry, said the decision to reopen the family business was easy. “The London Tea Room has been around for 17 years and my brother and I plan to keep it going for at least another 17,” Josh said.
The rest of the family is very excited about this turn of events. Jackie James said: “When I decided to close The London Tea Room, it was with a heavy heart. I know how much the tea room meant to our customers. My parents and I are so happy to see that The London Tea Room will live on. It means so much that the business is still being run by the family.”
Josh is tremendously enthusiastic about the new space. “The location on Union is great, and the space is beautiful with high ceilings, an atrium, and a patio.” The brothers have hired Design Style Girl’s Dottie Eaton, who was responsible for the downtown location’s decor, to work her magic in the new space.
The Richardson brothers are bringing back all the things that so many patrons enjoyed, such as the High Tea and Afternoon Tea. They also have lots of new ideas for the tearoom when it opens in August or early September. The Richardsons plan to apply for a liquor license so they will be able to offer tea-infused cocktails and “bubbles.” An event space will be available for wedding and baby showers, as well as business and corporate events. A section of the new space will be a shop stocked with a majority of The London Tea Merchant’s teas and Grandmother Pat’s sought-after candles and London Lights room sprays.
The London Tea Room at 255 Union will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, email info@thelondontearoom.com