In 2010, the City of Westerville bought the former Kyoto Tea House and Shinto Shrine, putting these two properties together with two others in the hope of finding someone to take the four and redevelop them as a tea house. Now, the city is considering selling the parcel to the Organic Trails Cafe, which is the parent of Northstar Cafe.
Julie Colley, Westerville's assistant city manager, said Northstar presented a plan to redevelop the entire site, stating it wanted to become part of the community. The company's attitude worked in its favor. Northstar wanted to own the property, not merely become a tenant, and furthermore, it would undertake full responsibility for the redevelopment effort. In doing so, it is hoped that the history of the tea house will be kept intact.
The Henderson family built the venue in 1958 to honor Japanese culture. A replica of a Shinto shrine was built in 1964, and the site was a local mainstay for decades. Unfortunately, it fell into disrepair when the family sold it, though the shrine was removed and stored. As part of the redevelopment deal, Northstar will reinstall the mural of Mount Fuji that once graced the tea house.
Northstar could work with a flyer printing company to create a mailer for residents, to be distributed when the cafe is ready to open. It might include coupons, as well as a statement of the company philosophy.
