Tucked away on Abbott Street is the Capilano Tea House & Botanical Soda Co., a new tea shop with a traditional twist.
Here, mother and daughter team Michelle and Paisley Nahanee of Squamish Nation, have found the perfect blend of contemporary concept and artisan approach.
“I’ve always seen Gastown as a really creative place where people can be what they want to be,” says Michelle, who lived in a warehouse there in the 1980s while involved in the underground art scene.
Meanwhile, Paisley attended pre-school in Strathcona and also spent time at the Squamish Nation reserve in North Vancouver.
“There are interesting parallels — both have addiction and poverty issues,” says Paisley. “But both have such immense culture and community, which you don’t find in other places. I love this area so much. It’s my home and it’s where I feel most comfortable.”
Before opening the Capilano in February this year, Michelle worked in graphic design, mainly with non- governmental organizations focusing on First Nations issues. Paisley joined her as an illustrator in her teens after attending art school in Portland, where she was inspired by the resurgence in artisan businesses. It’s been a steep but valuable learning curve for Michelle. In early 2015, she briefly opened a tea shop on Powell Street with her cousin.
“I don’t regret it, but I’m glad we took stock and built a stronger foundation,” says Michelle. “We learned that people wanted to know more about our Squamish connection.” Â
Paisley came on board as Michelle’s new partner and they focused on learning new skills and increasing their network through initiatives, including the Hawkers Market in March 2015.
“Now we’re meeting people who are at the stage we were last year — we can help them and it feels good,” says Paisley. “We attribute our success to the Gastown food community.”
This ethos extends to stocking all local products, from Goliath Coffee — a new air-roasted coffee company based in Strathcona — to using local East Van Jam on their bannock bread.
Collaboration is important to Michelle and Paisley. They worked with an Eastern tea master to create blends for their fresh, small batch tea and worked with mentor Chief Janice George to make sure there was a connection to their culture. Â
“Our approach is flavour first,” says Michelle. “We use indigenous ingredients and interesting teachings, but more than anything it must taste good.”
The Capilano offers ancient filos filed with wild rice and bison, and tea service on weekends. Friends and caterers Liz Mantle and her daughter Kimberly Stephenson were inspired by Michelle’s venture and started their own company.
“We’re happy we’ve got to this level of our business as local First Nations women,” says Michelle. “We’re excited see other women create mother/daughter teams.”
“We never want it to feel like we’re pushing our culture down people’s throats,” says Paisley. “It’s very subtle. You can come in and just enjoy a pot of tea. We have a popular hibiscus tea named Senakw Village, the traditional name for Stanley Park, and that’s an easy way to start conversations.”
Michelle agrees.
“We have a traditional Coast Salish weaving in the window, some people ask about it and for others it’s just part of the decor. For us it’s an approachable way to share our culture... and decorate how we wanted to decorate.”
The future’s looking bright for the business and mother and daughter who are in talks with the University of B.C. Farms to use its local lavender and mint and for Capilano teas to be stocked at Nordstrom department store. For Michelle
it’s proof culture and business can co-exist without compromise.
“Indigenous people can hold onto our culture and actively participate in that and we can also actively participate in the business world,” she says. “We can be whatever we want to be.”
