Tea Grotto
“Tea is about connection - connecting with yourself, with others, and with the world around you,” says Bradley Heller, reflecting on the philosophy that drives his beloved Salt Lake City establishment, Tea Grotto. Originally from a small farm in central Illinois, Bradley’s journey to becoming a tea shop owner was anything but conventional.
Bradley met his first wife, Molly, when they were both students at Boise State. After a time, Molly decided to transfer to the University of Utah to pursue her passion for dance. The couple's initial connection to Tea Grotto was when Molly worked part time for the original owner while attending school. After graduating from Boise, Bradley followed her to Salt Lake in 2007, drawn by the opportunities the city offered him as a geologist. He appreciated the area’s diverse landscape, which complemented his work. “Salt Lake seemed like a good choice for both of us because of the variety it provided.” In 2010, however, the couple moved to New York City for a dance opportunity for Molly. Soon after, life took an unexpected turn.
Bradley had been an avid rock climber since he was a teenager. He was on a climb in New England when a ledge collapsed, and he fell thirty feet. "I broke my leg so badly that the doctors said I would never be able to walk properly again."
After his accident, while recuperating in New York City, Bradley crutched into Chinatown, seeking out a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. “When I first went into his office, he took different indicators—my pulse, my tongue, and my overall energy,” Bradley recalls. The doctor would then tweak a formula, handing Bradley seven paper bags filled with herbal mixes. “I’d take them home, pour the contents into water, simmer it for an hour, and drink the concoction twice a day for seven days." Each week, the doctor would modify the formula based on Bradley’s progress. For six months, he drank these herbal teas, and over time, he began to heal. He learned to walk again by ambulating with crutches on the dirt trails in upstate New York, determined to regain the use of his leg. “I need this ankle,” he told himself. Today, his ankle is a “C minus,” but as Bradley says, “that is far better than it could have been.” This period of recovery not only healed him physically but also sparked a deep passion for tea and its therapeutic properties, leading to a complete shift in his career trajectory.
“Tea became a way for me to channel my energy and rediscover my connection with the world.” This newfound passion eventually led Bradley to purchase Tea Grotto in 2011, a small tea house in Salt Lake originally founded by Rebecca Sheerin, a visionary who recognized the need for a place focused on tea in a coffee-dominated city. Bradley credits Rebecca for taking the initial risk of starting a loose-leaf tea shop in Salt Lake in 2002. “The Tea Grotto is a feminine entity, and I couldn’t be here without her original creative energy.”
When Bradley took over, he was faced with the challenge of relocating and rebranding the business, a task he undertook with creativity and dedication. Tea Grotto moved into a building on 9th South in a neighborhood that was in "rough shape at the time." Construction started in January of 2012, and by April, Tea Grotto had opened in its present form. According to Bradley, it was a quick three-month, 24-hours-a-day frenzy to build it.
Bradley’s vision for Tea Grotto was clear from the beginning. “I wanted it to be an amplifier - a place where people could come together, share stories, and create community." The shop was designed with principles of Feng Shui to ensure that every detail, from the layout to the decor, contributed to a sense of calm and connection. The space features an old apothecary-inspired bar, filled with glass jars of herbal teas, and a carefully curated selection of teapots and tea sets that add to the shop’s warm, inviting atmosphere.
Tea Grotto’s extensive menu boasts over 170 different teas, with Bradley personally sourcing many of them from China, Japan, and other regions known for their high-quality tea. “Tea and wine are similar,” Bradley notes, “it’s all about the terroir - the environment in which it’s grown.” The shop attracts a diverse clientele, from young people exploring tea for the first time to seasoned connoisseurs, all drawn by the promise of a unique and welcoming experience. In addition to its teas, Tea Grotto’s kitchen offers a variety of house-made, organic pastries, soups, and sandwiches, all infused with the same commitment to quality. Bradley has worked hard to transition the kitchen to be fully organic and free of seed oils, highlighting the shop’s focus on health and sustainability.
For Bradley, Tea Grotto is more than just a business - it is a labor of love. “I had to take my entire life savings and risk everything to make this work, but I’m so grateful that I did. There’s nothing else I want to do.” Today, Bradley oversees the business with the help of a dedicated team, allowing him to balance work with family life. Though the journey has been arduous, he remains committed to his original vision: creating a space where people can connect, find solace, and enjoy the simple pleasure of a good cup of tea.
