WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The owner of a beloved West Palm Beach tea house says she was asked to vacate her location, leaving customers heartbroken and the future of the 28-year-old business uncertain.
Audrey Farrelly has owned Serenity Garden Tea House & Cafe, located at Dixie Highway and Vallette Way, for 13 years. She said the eviction notice came suddenly.
"Honestly, I was asked to vacate, and that's like the bottom line," Farrelly said.
When Farrelly posted the news on the Serenity Tea House Facebook page, customers responded with words like "sad news," "so sorry," and "great memories."
"Emotional, and I have a full heart with the love and appreciation," Farrelly said.
Some customers have been coming to the tea house for as long as Farrelly has owned it, and the connection runs deep. Much of the china and teacups inside the café were donated by guests over the years.
"The majority of all of this is donations by guests that have come in here, either they had a passing or are moving out, there's people I can say hello to when I come in the morning, I know they gave me a cup, I know they gave me this," Farrelly said.
For regulars, the loss feels personal.
"For me, it was heartbreaking; it was like a family member was moving away, and we weren't going to see them anymore, so," customer Lorianne Porcelain told WPTV on Friday. "This place has always been so dear to our hearts because it's like a sweet place where you can come and just enjoy your family."
She worries the closure is another sign of rapid development reshaping West Palm Beach.
"Are they just going to knock it down and build something here?" Porcelain said. "How heartbreaking to take such a tradition, something so rooted in our community, and take it away from us when it brings such joy to all the people who live here," Porcelain said.
Farrelly, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who has lived in West Palm Beach for 16 years, said she does not know why she is being evicted. WPTV tried contacting the property owner on Friday and did not hear back.
Despite the uncertainty, Farrelly is not giving up on the tea house.
"I'm switching this over to a positive thing. I'm going to find a good home for the tea house; this happened for a reason, and we're just going to find a location," Farrelly said.
The last high tea at the current South Dixie location will be held on Aug. 23.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
