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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Whistling Kettle now has a third Capital Region location with the opening of a new restaurant and tea shop in the Electric City.
Following its debut in Ballston Spa in 2004 and expansion to Troy in 2014, The Whistling Kettle’s newest site is now open at 138 Jay St. in Schenectady.
The business is owned and operated by Troy couple Kevin and Meahgan Borowsky, who saw an opportunity with Schenectady’s recent development and revitalization.
“Schenectady was chosen as a strategic location giving WK customers more opportunities to enjoy what The Whistling Kettle offers,” a press release from the company said, “A thoughtful interior, friendly staff, delicious food, a large selection of tea and coffee and paraphernalia for home brewing.”
For the third location, the owners decided to seek out a building to purchase and renovate. They liked Jay Street’s unique feel and how the location it is surrounded by other small businesses. “It was an ideal time to invest in a property, renovate it to suit and be part of Schenectady’s downtown resurgence,” the release said.
The new Jay Street location offers the ingredients that have helped make the previous Whistling Kettle locations a success, such as a pedestrian-only street with plenty of parking nearby, a resurgent downtown, local cultural attractions like Proctors, and higher learning institutions like Union College.
Additionally, the location affords Schenectady area guests who were too far to visit the Ballston Spa and Troy locations regularly a spot much closer to them.
The Whistling Kettle is known for its extensive tea and beverage selection. It has the largest selection of teas in the Capital Region, offered loose for home brewing as well as hot or iced, served in-house or to-go.
As The Whistling Kettle continues to grow, its original site in downtown Ballston Spa is celebrating its 15th anniversary year and the second location, near Monument Square in downtown Troy, marks five years in business.
Four years ago, the Borowskys purchased a building in Troy to serve as the company’s Blend Lab and online distribution center. “Having the extra space has allowed the company to grow and branch out to new areas of the business, including designing and producing a line of custom tea-ware products that are Whistling Kettle exclusive, as well as wholesale and online sales,” the release said.
When the couple first decided to start The Whistling Kettle 15 years ago, they felt they could introduce a modern interpretation of tea without the lace or frills. Today, Meahgan and Kevin are both still fully involved in all aspects of the business – from menu and interior design, training, product design and curation.
“From the art on the walls, the furniture, displays and even our bathrooms – our business is the mix of old and new,” they said in the release. “Our goal is to make visiting the Whistling Kettle an experience – from a family gathering, business meeting or going out with friends – we are a destination for a special occasion, or just when you want to feel special. We offer comfortable surroundings with a menu and products not available anywhere else and at reasonable prices.”
More information about The Whistling Kettle and its three locations can be found online at www.thewhistlingkettle.com.