Our History
The polite form of address in the shop is not due to arrogance. Customers are usually addressed as "You" (formal), as this small gesture symbolizes that "we are here for the customer."
Tea in the 18th Century
Tea was the most important trade commodity at the end of the 18th century, a period also known as the “florissante” (flourishing) period. Often, 85-90% of a ship’s cargo consisted of tea, and throughout the 1700s, tea became increasingly popular.
It was in Christianshavn that trade with the East truly began. In the latter half of the 18th century, both trade and prosperity flourished in one of Copenhagen’s oldest districts. This was not only because the Asiatic Company was based there but also because many ships bringing goods from the Far East docked at the quay.
Niels Broch Perch
Among the most esteemed of these merchants was Jens Bay Perch, born in Randers in 1751. Jens Bay Perch drew great inspiration and assistance from the esteemed merchant Niels Brock, whom the young Jens had apprenticed with. During his apprenticeship, Jens Perch quickly gained respect among his peers, and in 1776, he started his first business in Christianshavn, not far from the small canals.
Jens Bay Perch chose to name his firstborn son, born in 1788, after his friend and esteemed merchant Niels Brock, thus naming him Niels Brock Perch. Niels Brock Perch was undoubtedly destined for trade and would later become the founder of the old tea house, A. C. Perch’s Thehandel.
In April 1835, Niels Brock Perch opened a small shop at Kronprinsensgade 5, where the tea business still operates today. He rented the small new shop from the Freemasons, who were housed at number 7. The Perch couple had lost their firstborn son, and Niels Perch chose to name his business after their third son, Axel Christian Perch. The goal of the business was to sell the best teas from around the world, as well as a small amount of porcelain. Niels imported all the goods himself from the ships that docked at the warehouse, and the small shop quickly became a success.
Royal Purveyor to the Court
In 2002, A.C. Perch’s Thehandel had the great honor of being appointed Royal Purveyor to the Danish Court. The company had been supplying tea to the Royal Household for many years, and the appointment has meant a great deal for the business, which for nearly 175 years has strived to uphold old trading virtues and good business ethics. Annelise and Henning Ravn expressed their gratitude for the appointment during an audience with Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II. Annelise and Henning are perhaps a dying breed in today’s Denmark, managing to balance private life with a hectic business life. A.C. Perch’s Thehandel is now run daily by Annelise and Henning Hincheldey Ravn’s two children, Stine Hincheldey Alwen and Christian Hincheldey.
From Gas Lamps to the Internet
In August 1998, a new revolution took place in the old shop: A.C. Perch’s Thehandel went online with its first webshop. Terms like “online marketing,” “affiliate agreements,” and “search engine optimization” were not part of the everyday vocabulary in the shop. The business had for many years supplied mail-order tea to tea drinkers both domestically and internationally, but the new medium opened up entirely new possibilities. Customers’ orders were generated through email forms and sent to the shop’s inbox. It was simple, but the tea was now visible to everyone, both to customers in the provinces and abroad.
The old shop looks almost the same as it did in 1835. It undergoes regular restorations due to the wear and tear of daily use, but much of the old interior from 1835 is still intact. The counter, many of the shelves, and the gilded leather wallpaper on the walls date back to 1835, and the old apothecary scales are regularly repaired and maintained. Some things, however, are new: Electric lights have been installed, staff is occasionally replaced, and card payment terminals have a permanent place next to the cash register.
A.C. Perch’s Thehandel has almost always been a family business, sometimes with three generations behind the counter. High-quality standards and serious professional service have always been the shop’s highest goals, and today A.C. Perch’s Thehandel can proudly claim to have served seven generations since 1835. The long-standing success of the business is also due to a highly committed staff who have shaped the spirit and contributed to the development of the old shop. Once captivated by the spirit of the shop and the tea, it can be hard to let go.
The above is an excerpt from the book “Tea – from Leaf to Cup,” which can be purchased HERE