(AUSTIN, Texas) – I-35 is a busy stretch of highway, but if you pay attention to the access road, you’ll notice the businesses that call I-35 home. Among them is the West China Tea Company. Upon entering the doors, you are transported to a unique space that is peaceful despite the sounds of the busy highway.
However, since West China Tea Company is located right off of 1-35, they will have to relocate due to the I-35 Capital Express Central Project. This has created frustrations for business owners including So Han Fan, founder of West China Tea Company.
Fan says that the timeline to move has changed several times and that is his main complaint about this process. “It’s not that we’re being displaced, I accept that we’re being displaced, I accept that highways need to expand,” he says.
With a move expected in 2024, Fan says that they will find a new location and plans on taking what he can from his current location. That includes shelves, wood art, and even the landscaping. But until that day comes, he hopes that customers continue to come and experience tea, like they never have before.