NewCanaanite.com (https://newcanaanite.com/tag/pam-robinson)
For today’s installment in our local holiday shopping series, we talk to Pam Robinson, co-owner with husband John of The Spice & Tea Exchange. The shop at 118 Main St. is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday. Here’s a transcription of our conversation. ***
New Canaanite: This is your first shopping season here on Main.
The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. A melting pot of countries, exotic flavors and aromatic spices exists here, in our very own backyard. Enter the Spice and Tea Exchange, nestled downtown in the middle of Main Street.
Pulling open the front doors invites a journey for the senses: displays abundant with clear glass jars housing colorful contents; a strong aroma of fragrant spices wafting through the air; and a soft bubbling noise emanating from the tea dispensers in the back, which contain the week’s newest selections. The Spice & Tea Exchange is a franchise that has been in business for about 16 years, growing out of a mom-and-pop store, said store owner Pam Robinson. “This is the 92nd store to open,” Robinson said.
The Robinsons fell in love with The Spice & Tea Exchange long before they planned a New Canaan franchise. John Robinson, known to locals as the friendly face of Stewart’s Wine & Spirits for 26 years, had entered the Newport, R.I. store in the summer of 2017 while attending the annual folk festival there.
“One of my friends said, ‘You’ve got to check this place out—you love cooking, they’ve got everything, spices, and teas, and everything you could ever imagine,’ ” he recalled. “I walked in and I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ ”
Pam Robinson visited the same store in May of 2021. She recalled, “It was just completely overwhelming, in a good way. The smells, the vibrancy, the colors, it just welcomed you all in.