Along Central Street sits a store that offers serenity and peace from the outside world. No Longer Human, a shop specializing in Japanese tea, opened in early March to bring an enriching tea experience to Evanston. 

Manager John Klotter said the store allows people to fully appreciate the “tea aesthetic.” He said customers at coffee shops are more rushed, while at No Longer Human the customers are able to sit and slow down. 

Owner Yaoyu Tong said people have been flocking to the store for social purposes. 

He designed the space to feel and look like a traditional Japanese garden. The store had a display of Japanese tea cups for sale, along with a minimalistic style and tables that allow for conversation.

The store’s menu changes regularly, and Klotter said each iteration is designed to showcase the full breadth of Japanese beverages. Their teas range from green tea, oolong, to salted strawberry sentia. 

“Historically, tea has been overlooked,” Klotter said. “But I think we’ve all come to appreciate, as tea drinkers, that it’s just not about the chemicals in the cup, it’s about the intention that you put into it and the way that the tea itself can capture your attention.”

According to Tong, the shop’s name came from his desire to give people a chance to embrace their humanity during a time when artificial intelligence is growing and making people feel “No Longer Human.”   

Customer John Brady said he has been to the store several times. Brady generally prefers coffee over tea, but likes the intimate experience of the shop. 

“The feel of the place is very organic,” Brady said. 

Klotter and Tong said they want No Longer Human to be a mindful space for the community to truly slow down and escape the world around them. 

Tong added he hopes Northwestern students can find a new study spot at the shop and experience what Japanese tea has to offer. He said he wants his shop to offer students a chance to step away from their hectic lives.

“I hope this space is going to be somehow inspirational for young people to think about what (they) want to do,” Tong said. 

This place offers students more personal connections, he said.  

“Wherever you can find conversation with emotions, with flaws, will be gold,” Tong said. “Hopefully, this is a place like that.”

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