Flavorful New Gourmet Shop Takes Up Residence in Downtown Hudson

HUDSON, Ohio (February 4, 2025)—Stephen Kelbach and Rita Wisdom may be the new owners of The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Hudson, but they have a long-standing passion for the business. Stephen discovered The Spice & Tea Exchange® at the John’s Pass location in Madeira Beach, Florida 14 years ago and fell in love with the quality and freshness of its products, becoming a devoted customer. Rita and Stephen then opened The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Chagrin Falls, OH, in July of 2022. Now, they will celebrate the launch of their new store with a four-day grand opening celebration from Thursday, March 6th through Sunday, March 9th at 94 First Street in Hudson. Events will include a Ribbon Cutting with The Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce at 2pm on Thursday, March 6th.

“Stephen has been enjoying The Spice & Tea Exchange®’s products for over a decade – he actually brought them into our relationship,” laughs Rita Wisdom, co-owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Hudson. “I love cooking, so I became an immediate fan. Then, one Sunday, over breakfast, I jokingly mentioned we should open a store since there wasn’t one close to us. We laughed about it but started the process, and what started as a joke became very serious. Every step was natural and just seemed like a perfect fit. Our new shop in Hudson has been the same way. Stephen visited the location and immediately knew that it would work.”

The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Hudson is located in the First & Main Hudson shopping district, just one street from the Hudson Historic District. It joins a collection of unique businesses in a walking-friendly area. The freshly refurbished space was lovingly renovated by Stephen, who constructed the complete build-out of the Hudson store himself. The store boasts over 140 fine spices, including a wide range of traditional and signature blends, hand-mixed in-store. Customers can also explore shelves of infused sugars, honey, and more than 70 gourmet loose-leaf teas, which they can take home or enjoy at the in-store tea bar.

“We’ve been thrilled at the community support we’ve received so far,” says Stephen Kelbach, co-owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Hudson. “We opened just days before Christmas, but the reception has been fantastic. For most of our customers, this is their first experience with The Spice & Tea Exchange®. I really enjoy introducing them to the various products and helping them find their new favorite seasoning or tea – so far, the Bleu Burger seasoning has been very popular. We’re excited to see what products become community staples.”

The Grand Opening is Thursday, March 6th, through Sunday, March 9th. Customers can enjoy free samples throughout the weekend and enter a raffle to win a gift basket of goodies, as well as these special promotions:

Thursday, March 6: Ribbon Cutting at 2pm and free tote of choice with a $50 purchase

Friday, March 7: Receive 15% off total purchases

Saturday, March 8: Buy 4, get the 5th free on all consumables only

Sunday, March 9: Get a free hot or cold tea of any size with a $25 purchase; drawing for the gift basket raffle