FORT ATKINSON-Visitors can only guess at what stories lie untold in the antique china and stemware that grace the tables at Bethany Lynn's Tea & Treasures.
Before sitting down to an elegant luncheon and a spot of tea, visitors also are invited to participate in the fun of dressing up in wide brim or fancy hats that offer a glimpse of past fashions on parade.
The teashop at 407 S. Main Street in one of Fort Atkinson's historic residential neighborhoods also has fine gifts, jewelry and "anteaquities" for sale.
As the store's owner, designer, chief cook and bottle washer, Lou Stark is fulfilling a long-time dream.
"I'm passionate about this," Stark said. "It's a good thing."
Bethany Lynn's Tea & Treasures in Fort Atkinson provides a cozy atmosphere for shoppers and those with lunch reservations. Guests who sit in this room are invited to choose from a selection of hats to wear while dining. Owner Lou Stark says she wants to give customers a place to escape the hustle of their daily lives.
Kyle Stevens/Gazette Staff
She spent decades collecting fine table linens and settings, furniture and wall decorations to create an ambiance that offer diners an opportunity to travel back in time to a more relaxed and gentle era compared.
Most of the items were bought at estate sales and auctions.
For Stark, the teashop always seemed to be a plan in the making.
"I wanted to offer women in particular a quiet and relaxing place to get back in touch with themselves," Stark said. "It's so important to take time for yourself."
But that often takes a back seat to the demands of raising families, jobs and careers, Stark said.
At the tea shop, where a four-course lunch and chatting with friends or family can take three or more hours, busy schedules and hectic daily lives are checked at the door.
Simply stepping into the shop can take guests back in time. The business is located in a house that was built about 1900 and still offers down-home charm.
Finding just the right house for sale was the catalyst that encouraged Stark to make her dream a reality.
"I'm sure my friends and family were so sick of me talking about a tea room," Stark said. "They're as happy as I am about the shop."
The sign outside Bethany Lynn's Tea & Treasures in Fort Atkinson welcomes shoppers and diners.
Kyle Stevens/Gazette Staff
Stark's husband, Greg Schwemmer, and two sons, Sean Stark, 37, and Brian Stark, 35, have offered much support in the venture, she said.
Two promises Stark made to herself in creating just the right dining experience for guests was always to have fresh flowers and candle light at every table in the two dining areas. And she's kept that promise.
Stark never tires of changing place settings or table linens, or even the room's decor. It's a labor of love.
Although two employees help Stark in the kitchen, she does all of the blending, preparing and serving of the tea.
The whole concept of preparing tea, including allowing boiling water to steep over leaves, tends to put life at a slower than customary pace, Stark said.
Lou Stark, owner of Bethany Lynn's Tea & Treasures in Fort Atkinson, provides a quiet atmosphere in which visitors can shop and dine.
Kyle Stevens/Gazette Staff
She uses a rich Earl Grey tea that she blends with lavender flowers.
Menus change monthly, but the meal always begins with a variety of homemade wheat breads, muffins and scones served with three different spreads that always include a traditional English lemon curd.
The second course consists of finger sandwiches, followed by a third course of pastries.
The grand finale is a lavender Creme Brulee.
Stark named the business in memory of her daughter, Bethany, her husband, whose middle name is Lynn, and her sister, whose name also is Lynn.
The child was 4 when she died in 1984 after being struck by a car.
"She would have been 27 this year," Stark said.
During a recent visit to the shop, Julie Sorrel shared a similar story with Stark and a Gazette reporter about a loss so devastating it has forever changed her life.
In December, Sorrel, her daughter and two teenage granddaughters spent several hours here, reminiscing and sharing dreams for the future.
"We all tried on hats," Sorrel said. "We had a marvelous time."
Sorrel, a Fort Atkinson resident, planned on returning to the shop with her family to capture additional memories.
She stopped recently to buy gift certificates, but with a heavy heart. One of her granddaughters was killed in an automobile accident a couple of months ago.
Before leaving, Sorrel hugged Stark and thanked her for offering an avenue for such fond memories to have been created.
"I try to treat guests as if they were guests in my own home," Stark said. "I want people to feel special when they come here. Everything (in today's society) is so temporary and fast. We need to take time to nurture."
Just the facts What: Bethany Lynn's Tea & Treasures.
Where: 407 S. Main Street, Fort Atkinson.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Tea is served from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. by reservation, which can be made by calling (920) 563-1426.
Cost: $20 per person, which includes tax. The tip is extra.
