106 E. Doty Ave * Summerville, SC 29483 * 843-851-8030 * thiswholehouse@bellsouth.net

 
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Welcome to this Whole house

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT COUPONS OF ANY KIND FOR OUR SUNDAY BRUNCH BUFFET OR FOR AFTERNOON TEAS. THANK-YOU.

BE SURE AND BOOK YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR OUR EASTER BRUNCH BUFFET! CALL 843-851-8030 FOR MORE INFORMATION!

THIS WHOLE HOUSE HOURS:

11:00AM - 5:00PM (M, T, TH, F & S) AND SUNDAY BRUNCH (9-3) HOURS WILL REMAIN THE SAME. PLEASE CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

Peeking through a large Magnolia tree sits a charming cottage built in 1875. Many business establishments have called this little treasure "home," but ultimately the most famous was the downtown brothel! Come in and share the stories of our gunshot hole, our friendly ghost, & our way into the tearoom business. this Whole house is sure to be a treat for Summerville New Comers & Old Blood through & through!

The Story of this Whole house

My business, this WHOLE house (twh), was established in 2002 as a gift and antique shop. After little activity in such a secluded location, we decided to move closer to town. My husband (Mychael) bought an adorable cottage for me (Judy) on Valentine's Day 2004 and told me to, "go for my dreams, do what I want to make it mine!" So I did just that! TWH is now a charming tearoom located in an 1875 cottage one block off of Main Street in Summerville, SC.

We serve lunch daily (excluding Weds.) from 11 - 5 and also cook up a mean All-You-Can-Eat Sunday Brunch Buffet from 9 - 3. In addition to our tasty lunches and brunch buffet, we enjoy taking reservations (must be made 24 hours in advance) for our delicious afternoon tea. We also welcome bridal and baby showers, small parties, and private dinners.

So stop on by...TWH has just what you need!

Also remember that The Green Table has their own section on our top floor! Specializing in re-inventaged items! Check out their items on our top floor for more information!

Hours of Operation

Monday, Tuesday, (closed wednesday) Thursday, Friday : 11:00am - 5:00 pm. (Lunch served from 11:00am to 4:00 pm.)

Saturday: 11:00am - 5:00pm (Best for Afternoon Teas)

Sunday: 9:00am - 3:00 (All-you-can-eat Brunch Buffet)

Directions to Our Place~
I-26 exit 199A. Exit on Hwy 17 ALT south (North Main St)
Go through 7 lights(I think) to reach the RR tracks in to historic downtown. Move to the center lane as you cross the RR tracks turn left. Continue 400 ft. to the next block we are on the right corner of East Doty Ave. & South Magnolia St.

From the Plantations Hwy.61 Charleston:

Take Hwy. 61 (Ashley River Road) West to Summerville, Follow signs. Turn right onto Bacon's Bridge Rd. & Hwy 165. Continue 5 miles merge to right lane as you dead end into Trolley Road. Turn left onto Trolley go to the third light and turn right onto Hwy. 17Alt. north (South Main St). Continue about 1.2 miles to RR tracks. Turn right onto East Doty Ave. Continue 400 ft to "this Whole house" on right at the corner of E. Doty & South Magnolia St.

 

 
Owner
  Judy Thomas: wife, head cook, interior decorator, antique finder, and a best friend to all patrons!    
     
Judy as featured in the Summerville Tourism Booklet. 
Mom

Upcoming Events

Book Your Mother's Day Tea with us!! Call 843-851-8030 for more information!

Have You Heard???

this WHOLE house was featured in the Post & Couriers 2009 Dining Guide! Check it out here!

Post and Courier -- May 19, 2006 (downloadable version)

News Article:

Couple's love of tea births Web site Published: 5/19/2006

The Internet and a common love for tea brought Tony Smith and Denise LeCroy together.

The same two factors also led them to create GreatTearooms-ofAmerica.com, a Web site that unites tearoom owners and tea lovers nationwide. The site allows tearoom owners to make personalized, one-page Web pages, listing hours of operation and photos of their establishments.

Tearoom owners also can get an e-mail account through the site and sign up for tea newsletters written by LeCroy. Tea enthusiasts can search for tearooms by ZIP code or state, and map a route to each tearoom.

Smith, who is from England and now lives in Mount Pleasant, said it was a major adjustment to move here because of the lack of tearooms.

"He has been a tea drinker his whole life," LeCroy said. "The biggest adjustment for him is that in Britain, tea is just part of the fabric of your life."

LeCroy, too, became accustomed to visiting tearooms, because the couple lived in England the first few of years of their marriage.

Because of her interest in tea, LeCroy had some connections to other tea lovers. After moving back to the States a year and a half ago, she and Smith began compiling the information to build the Web site.

"It seems kind of fitting that because we met on the Internet that the first thing we've birthed is an Internet Web site," LeCroy said.

Since its launch May 1, the site has received almost 31,000 hits. It received another 38,000 during the pre-launch in April, LeCroy said, and 100 tearooms have already added information to their pages.

One of these, This Whole House in Summerville, opened about a year and a half ago for the same reason the Web site was created: Owner Judy Thomas was fascinated by different kinds of tea.

According to her daughter, Ebonn Thomas, the cottage that is home to This Whole House was purchased as an expansion of the family's antique shop. The family turned half of it into a tearoom and the other half into a gift shop.

"It definitely combines the love of eating and shopping," Thomas said. This Whole House offers lunch every day except Wednesday, a brunch on Sunday and afternoon teas by reservation.

LeCroy said it was almost 15 years ago when she first started drinking and researching tea. At that time, large hotels were about the only places to find tearooms.

"A lot of people in the tea industry have wondered and wondered why it never did really catch on," LeCroy said. "I think probably you just have to go way back in history - and I don't really know if this is true or not - but during the Revolution, there was the Boston Tea Party, and the Colonists refused to drink tea. I don't think America ever really recovered from that, and then coffee became popular, and I think at that point people in America wanted to distance themselves from English customs."

But, LeCroy said, it's impossible to ignore the sudden rise in the popularity of tea and tearooms. Part of the reason for this is probably health-related, she said.

"Americans are becoming very health conscientious," LeCroy said. "It's a whole food. I think Americans are at a point now where we want to have this simplicity in our lives, and I think tea meets all those requirements because of its versatility."

Ebonn Thomas agrees. "North America didn't used to be so health-conscious," she said. "Now, people are starting to realize tea can be beneficial to health."

According to GreatTearooms-ofAmerica.com, there are 23 tearooms in South Carolina, four of which are in the Summerville area.

"I think it's interesting that we have the traditional, which is the tearoom, which connects with the modern, which is the Internet, and it seems to just work together very well," LeCroy said.

Reach Ashley Hopkins at ahopkins@postandcourier.com.

Tea Time Magazine -- May/June 2006

Skirt Magazine -- April 2006

Post and Courier -- March 3, 2006

Post & Courier -- February 16, 2005

* files are large, may take a few minutes with low speed connection to download.


 

Our Workers
Mychael Thomas: Loving husband, weekend cook, handy man, and loving father.

Mecia Brown: Oldest daughter, incredible cook, and ultimate mother of three.

Ebonn Thomas: Youngest daughter, marketing director and graduate of USC.

Member of

Summerville DREAM

Greater Summerville Antique Association

What People are Saying!

This was my first time to a Tea House & what a treat it was for my Mom & me! The Quiche was out of this world & our waitress was on hand for anything we needed (with a smile). There are over 60 selections for hot tea! This Tea House is so unique with a nice gift shop too. What more could you ask for? We will be back!

- Linda 01/20/09

I was out of town for Christmas and visited another tea house in the Charlotte area. They offered 2 types of hot tea! I am spoiled being able to come to this teahouse at home! They offer the best selection of teas and food. I have NEVER been disappointed with any of their offerings!

- Suzi 12/28/08

I've been here a number of times. The food I good, the atmosphere is pleasant, the teas are great, the desserts are fabulous. I've taken some friends and they too enjoyed themselves. I always look foward to going back.
- Christine 12/28/08
It is a beautiful place to dine at, very relaxing and enjoyable the staff is very friendly and the food is always wonderful. The menu is always different which allows you to never grow bored with what they have to offer.
- Samantha 12/19/08
 

 

 
 
      106 E. Doty Ave * Summerville, SC 29483 * thiswholehouse@bellsouth.net * 843.851.8030