Ruth's Tea House

08/25/2026

🌹 Tea Tuesday: Let’s Talk Rosehips!

Today we're talking about an ingredient you may have seen in herbal tea blends but never really thought much about: rosehips.

First things first, rosehips are NOT rose petals. They're actually the small fruit that develops on a rose plant after the flower blooms and the petals fall away.

Rosehips have a lightly tart, fruity flavor with a little natural sweetness. Think somewhere along the lines of cranberry or tart apple rather than something super floral.

Rosehips naturally contain antioxidants and are well known for containing vitamin C. They've been used in foods, drinks and traditional herbal practices for generations. They're also naturally caffeine-free.
But one of the reasons I love rosehips for blending is the flavor. They pair beautifully with hibiscus, apple, orange, strawberry, ginger, lemongrass and even rose petals.

And if some of those ingredients sound familiar, you've been paying attention to Tea Tuesday. 👀

Rosehips are also an ingredient you'll find in some of Ruth's Tea House blends, so now when you see them listed on the bag, you'll actually know what's going into your cup.

That's what I want Tea Tuesday to be about—getting to know our herbs, flowers, roots and leaves one at a time. ❤️

Have you had rosehips before?

08/24/2026

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉 Kris Simmons-Newman, Rachel Moyer

08/24/2026

A few days ago, I received a message from a woman named Fiona that reminded me all over again just how kind people can be. 🤎

Fiona and her husband are preparing to move in November, and over the years she had collected quite a few beautiful tea sets—many of them gifted to her by family. She kept the pieces that she wanted to take with her, but instead of simply getting rid of the rest, she wanted them to go somewhere they would actually be used and appreciated.

And she thought of Ruth’s Tea House.

She knew about the pop-up experiences we're working on and reached out to ask if we could use them.
Of course, my answer was YES.

There's something really special to me about knowing that these cups and tea sets already have stories attached to them. They were gifts. They belonged to someone's family. They've probably been part of conversations, celebrations, quiet mornings, and countless cups of tea.
And now they've been passed along to us to become part of something new.

Soon, someone will be sitting at one of our pop-up experiences, drinking a Ruth's Tea House blend from one of these cups, making another memory with something that already carries so many. And I think that's beautiful.

Fiona, thank you so much for trusting us with these pieces and for thinking of us. They will absolutely be loved, used, and appreciated. 💕

And since you and your husband aren't moving until November, I'm putting this little wish out into the universe now: I really hope we get to have you both as guests at one of our Ruth's Tea House Experiences before you leave. It would only be right that you get to sit down, have some tea, and see these beautiful pieces beginning their next chapter.

This is exactly the kind of community I want Ruth's Tea House to be built around.
Things passed down. Stories shared. People gathered around a table.

One cup at a time. ❤️

08/22/2026

The Carlisle community is a beautiful one 💕

08/22/2026

I thought I was going to print some business cards.
That’s it. 😂

A quick little task before moving on to the next thing on my Ruth’s Tea House list.

Apparently, the universe had other plans.

(Long post warning: see comments)

08/20/2026

📚 STEEPED IN HISTORY THURSDAY

Welcome to our newest little series at Ruth’s Tea House: Steeped in History.

Every Thursday, we’re going to take a little trip backwards and talk about the history behind what’s in our cups; tea, herbs, traditions, remedies, rituals, and the stories that have been passed down through generations.

And I thought we should start with something simple: Loose-leaf came LONG before the tea bag.

For thousands of years, people around the world were steeping leaves, flowers, roots, bark, fruits, and other plants directly in hot water.
Tea bags, on the other hand, are pretty new in comparison.
They became popular in the early 1900s, and there’s actually a story that tea merchant Thomas Sullivan helped popularize them by sending tea samples to customers in small silk bags. Instead of taking the tea out of the bags, some customers reportedly put the whole thing right into the hot water.
And just like that… somebody accidentally made tea a little more convenient. 😂

But long before convenience came into the picture, preparing tea and herbal infusions could be a whole experience.

You selected your herbs. You smelled them. You measured them. You watched them open and move through the water. And then you sat down and enjoyed what you created.

That slower experience is something I want to bring into Ruth’s Tea House.

Yes, we're selling tea.

But I also want us to learn about what we're drinking — where these plants came from, how different cultures have used them, and how something as simple as making a cup of tea can carry hundreds or even thousands of years of history.

Because sometimes there’s a whole story sitting in your cup. 🤎

Now I want to know:
Are you Team Loose-Leaf or Team Tea Bag?

08/18/2026

🎨

08/18/2026

& us 🫶🏾😊👏🏾

Dozens of new businesses expanding in

This list is complete by no means and is all we can find, but it is sorted by county

If we forgot one just add it to the comments!!!!

ADAMS COUNTY
* City Express by Marriott (Gettysburg): Opened an 83-room hotel at 1857 Gettysburg Drive featuring an indoor pool, hot tub, gym, free breakfast, and high-speed WiFi.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY
* Moon Bird Distilling (Mechanicsburg): Opened at 12 E. Chapel Ave., serving house-made spirits and wood-fired pizza.
* Chocolate Avenue Grill (Camp Hill): Opening this fall at 1300 Camp Hill Bypass (former Grateful Goat location).
* Camp Hill Diner (Camp Hill): Opened at 3608 Market St., serving all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
* FS8 Mechanicsburg (Mechanicsburg): Opened a boutique Pilates, yoga, and strength fitness studio at 6391 Carlisle Pike.
* Naturals by Nina (Mechanicsburg): Relocated its nail and lash services to 3820 Market St., Suite C.
* Premier Gift Zone (Mechanicsburg): Opened at 125 Gateway Drive, selling automotive gear, NFL merchandise, and jewelry.
* Zee’s Hot Chicken (Mechanicsburg): Opened a 100% halal chicken, wings, and gyro spot at 5315 E. Trindle Road.
* Tang Dumplings (Lower Allen Township): Replacing the former Primanti Brothers at Capital City Mall.
* Wawa (Mechanicsburg): Opening a new store at 1170 Harrisburg Pike next year.
* Raymour & Flanigan (Mechanicsburg): Relocated its retail showroom to 6421 Carlisle Pike.
* The Turn Indoor Golf (Hampden Township): Opened an indoor golf venue at 4957 Carlisle Pike.
* Funtastik Skate & Snow (Mechanicsburg): Relocated to 2324 S. Market St. with action sports gear, a tuning shop, and a video lounge.
* Mechanicsburg Sunday Market (Mechanicsburg): Operating Sundays through Sept. 6 at 16 N. Walnut St. with local vendors.

DAUPHIN COUNTY
* Back Nine Golf (Hershey): Opening a 24/7 member-accessible indoor golf simulator venue at 1164 Mae St.
* Reunion Cocktails + Provisions (Hershey): Opened a gastropub and cocktail bar at 1201 W. Chocolate Ave.
* TownePlace Suites by Marriott (Hershey): Opened an 84-room pet-friendly hotel with kitchens at 554 W. Chocolate Ave.
* Claws Decor (Harrisburg): Opened a handcrafted press-on nail studio at 3430 Derry St.
* Crispy Halal (Harrisburg): Opening a halal and Mediterranean platter restaurant at 209 N. Second St.
* Denim Coffee (Harrisburg): Opened a 2,500-square-foot coffee shop at 17 S. Second St.
* Madame Rochele’s Apothecary (Harrisburg): Opened a craft cocktail and small plates lounge at 200 N. Second St.
* Luongo Barbecue (Middletown): Opened a Texas-style barbecue restaurant at 101 E. Main St.
* HCI DP Land Acquisition LLC (Swatara Township): Paused applications for a planned data center and substation project on Wagner Avenue.
* Marco’s Pizza (Harrisburg): Opened a pizza, wings, and sub shop at 3867 Derry St.
* Swatara Exchange/2nd & Charles (Harrisburg): Started construction on three buildings on Paxton St. and Enterprise Drive, including a new site for 2nd & Charles bookstore.
* Wawa (Middletown): Opening at 9000 Bridge Road by the end of the year.
* 1-Tom-Plumber (Harrisburg): Opened a plumbing service location at 3319 Derry St.

LANCASTER COUNTY
* Reist Popcorn Co. (Mount Joy): Secured a $500,000 state loan to acquire an adjacent 17,052-square-foot facility at 131 Manheim St. for storage infrastructure.
* Owl Hill Learning Center (Manheim): Opening a 72-child daycare facility at Pleasant View Communities (544 N. Penryn Road) this January.
* Strickler Investments LLC (Mount Joy): Obtained a $2.25M state loan to build a 73,000-square-foot office/warehouse facility at 1320 Strickler Road.
* Belco Community Credit Union (Lancaster): Building a new financial branch at 237 Centerville Road, opening spring 2027.
* Volley LLC (Lancaster): Secured a $1.03M state loan to buy and renovate an industrial property at 3040 Industry Drive.
* A New Dawn (Lancaster): Opened a home furniture and décor shop at The Shops .
* Simply Southern (Lancaster): Opened an apparel and gift retail store at Tanger Outlets Lancaster.
* Back Nine Golf (Lancaster): Opened a 24/7 member golf simulator venue at The Shops .
* The Cage (Lancaster): Opened a 12,733-square-foot baseball and softball training facility at The Shops .
* Twisted Sisters (Lancaster): Opened an ice cream and handmade sweets shop at The Shops .
* Uptown Cheapskate (Lancaster): Opened a fashion and accessories consignment store at The Shops .
* W.O.L.F. Fitness (Lancaster): Opened a new health and fitness center at The Shops .
* Zest Cooking School (Lancaster): Opened a culinary teaching space at The Shops .
* Stay Apparel Co. (Elizabethtown): Opened a USA-made graphic tee and gift shop at 206 S. Market St.
* Advanced Cooling Technologies (Lancaster): Building a 50,000-square-foot cold plate factory at the Burle Industries Complex.
* Federal Donuts & Chicken (Lancaster): Opening a hot doughnuts and chicken restaurant at 621 Harrisburg Ave.
* Miss A (Lancaster): Opening a cosmetics and skincare budget shop at Park City Center.
* Spotlight Boutique (Lancaster): Opening a prom and formalwear dress boutique this fall at 1569 Manheim Pike.
* Mystic Table Hobby & Game Emporium (Elizabethtown): Celebrated a grand opening at 91 E. Main St.

LEBANON COUNTY
* TownePlace Suites by Marriott (Lebanon): Opened a new extended-stay hotel location at North Cornwall Commons (106 Blackford Blvd).
* Lebanon Steel Works (Lebanon): Opening a 30,000-square-foot collaborative artisan, maker, and small business marketplace at 121 Schneider Drive.

YORK COUNTY
* Mavis Tire (Newberry Township): Building a 6,205-square-foot automotive tire shop along Old York Road across from Giant.
* Giambalvo Hyundai (Hanover): Relocated its full vehicle sales, parts, and service dealership to 200 Eisenhower Drive.
* Rise Dispensaries (Hanover): Opened a new medical cannabis retail dispensary location at 361 Eisenhower Drive.
* Timeless Betty (York): Opened a vintage fashion, accessories, and antique boutique retail shop at 16 York St.
* Annapurna Market (York): Partnered as an authorized U-Haul neighborhood moving equipment dealer at 891 W. King St.
* Wonder (York): Opened a multi-concept delivery and dine-in restaurant collective space at 351 Loucks Road.
* Mural Arts Hotel (York): Converting 1 S. George St. into a deskless, tech-forward 20-room boutique hotel opening next spring.
* Nama Sushi (York): Launching a ground-floor restaurant location inside the upcoming Mural Arts Hotel space.