Le Palais des Thés opens flagship store in Manhattan
French premium tea purveyor Le Palais des Thés hopes that tea can join the ranks of products associated with France, such as wine and cheese. The new flagship store, which opened last week in the SoHo district in Manhattan, houses 120 varieties of tea and lets customers interact with the leaves. The 700-square-foot store was created to give visitors the opportunity to see, taste and smell the varieties on display, with prices ranging from $8 to $130 per 3.5 ounces. According to a company executive, the French have a similar expertise for tea as they do for other gourmet treats. Therefore, the location was chosen based on the premise that SoHo residents are receptive to European brands. Le Palais des Thé opened another store in Upper West Side in November 2012.