105-year-old tea shop still open for business in downtown HCM City

HCM City’s Ben Thanh Market area houses the oldest and most famous tea store in the city, opened in the early 20th century.

Located at 13 Phan Chu Trinh Street at the west gate of the market, the tea shop is popular with foreign visitors. It has an old design and an interesting history, though the business was closed for more than 10 years. 

Kha Quyen, an 87-year-old woman, is the second generation of her family to take over the business. She stopped serving tea more than 10 years ago but still maintains the shop’s original space and many antiques such as table sets, tea trays and a 50-year-old Libra scale.

Quyen said the tea shop opened in 1913 and saw its heyday from the 1950s-70s when her family members were all involved in the tea business. 

Some pictures of the old tea shop:

The old tea shop looked from outside The 87-year-old owner – Mrs. Kha Quyen The old tea boxes An old scale that was used to weigh tea in the past

CATPHCM/VNS/VNN