SEATTLE — Spice is the variety of life!
Located in the heart of Pike Place Market, MarketSpice is one of the oldest retail businesses there. They’ve been selling spices, teas, and coffee since 1911.
Usually packed and full of energy, they are famous for their MarketSpice cinnamon orange tea. They sample this tea all day every day, so anyone can come in and have a sip.
AJ Samuel, the MarketSpice manager, calls himself and his fellow coworkers “Spice-o-philes” or jokingly “Spicey-boys.” The MarketSpice employees really do consider themselves spice connoisseurs.
Prior to working here, AJ says, “I knew how to flip a burger, but now I know how to make a curry.” He also added working at this store isn’t like working at a big box store: “It feels like community.”
Donna Hunter loves working at MarketSpice because she gets to talk about recipes all day. She comes home with her pockets filled with little pieces of paper with recipes on them.
MarketSpice sources from India, China and other places around the world. They also make their own blends by tasting the spices and playing with different flavors.
Stepping into this store is a feast for your olfactory senses because many of the jars have a sign on them that read “Open and smell jars” -- so take a whiff and breathe it all in.
AJ says he gets to meet people from all over the world and just have conversations about food.“Food is happy and it’s always awesome to talk about happiness,” he says.
One more fascinating tidbit that even longtime Seattleites don’t know about… One of the store’s second owners was named Ruby Rutelonis and she created a tea recipe made with black tea.
She became inspired by her husband’s pharmaceutical practice of flavoring medicines with oils, so she infused her black tea with cinnamon and orange and named her blend Market Spice Tea. From there, the store was renamed from it’s an earlier title which was Specialty Spice Shop. Now THAT’S some interesting Pacific Northwest trivia that just a few people know!
MarketSpice in Pike Place Market | Open Mondays through Saturdays 9am to 6pm, Sundays 9am to 5pm | (206) 622-6340
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