New Experiential Shop Hits Anchorage’s Culinary Scene
Culinary experts, tea lovers and home cooks alike will be happy to hear that The Spice & Tea Exchange has finally opened in the Shops on O’Malley in Anchorage, Alaska. Featuring a wide-range of high quality spices, teas, sugars, and salts, the Exchange is home to a number of hard to find and unique seasonings, blends and teas (including the elusive matcha). Entering the shop is like immersing yourself into an old-world marketplace where the sights and smells will inspire you to try something new and exciting. And if the store alone isn’t enough- their amazing website is home to a wealth of delicious recipes including Garden Garlic Bread, Lavender Lemon Cupcakes, and BBQ Bacon Brie.
Owners Liz and Ryan Eldridge opened The Spice & Tea Exchange to bring high-quality and hard to find products to the Anchorage market. Liz began working with the Alaska Small Business Development Center after finishing the rough draft of her business plan to have a second set of eyes on her financials. Business Advisor Allan Carraway assisted Liz and Ryan throughout the process of securing a loan, finding a location and hiring staff and was there to celebrate with them on their very successful opening day.
“The SBDC provided many useful workshops: from marketing, to business plans, to structuring your insurance. Working directly with our advisor Allan was crucial, he helped me tailor any issues or questions I had directly back to my business, and followed up with me regularly. I found all the teachers and staff friendly and engaging, and couldn’t recommend them enough,” said Liz.
The Spice & Tea Exchange not only offers dozens of hard to find spices and tea blends but also a collection of inspiring recipes and culinary updates through their robust website. They are open seven days a week and can also be reached at anchorage@spiceandtea.com.
