They say, shopping is therapeutic, and if we do agree with that, we would wonder why! Stepping foot into a store is less about the purchase than the sensorial experience. Imagine the smell of leather, an experience centre to check out the newest gadget, an aromatic tea or coffee shop, an interior store where you can feel every object, or simply a fragrance store with a medley of fragrances. Indeed shopping is therapeutic given its tactile nature and the sensorial experience. Picking up on the booming co-existence of e-commerce and experiential retail,160-year-old fine organic tea brand, Makaibari, opened its first experiential store aptly named Makaibari Bungalow, at Taj Bengal, Kolkata.
Renowned for its fine organic teas, the store offers customers a unique tea-tasting experience, showcasing its superior blends. Mr Rudra Chatterjee, Chairman of Obeetee and Managing Director of Luxmi Tea Group, described Makaibari as "more than just a tea estate, it represents a way of life in harmony with nature and heritage." The store captures this philosophy, offering visitors a space where tea, textiles, and furniture come together in an elegant showcase of craftsmanship and tradition.
Makaibari Bungalow aims to revive the charm of the bungalow lifestyle, blending heritage, art, culture, and flavours that evoke a bygone era. Alongside its exceptional teas, the store’s curated collection features couture carpets, cushions, table linens, and elegant home décor, including tableware and teaware in silver, porcelain, and bone china—some custom-made by the esteemed Thomas Goode. The selection also includes plantation-style furniture and art pieces, all unified to create a holistic lifestyle experience. Each element, including the accent furniture, reflects the brand’s century-old legacy, with a focus on sustainable, eco-friendly craftsmanship, ensuring a positive impact on the environment and the communities involved in production.
With roots in West Bengal, Luxmi Estates originally from the region, naturally found its home in Kolkata. The store’s design evokes the grandeur of a planter’s bungalow, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces. Warm walnut wood tones, brass accents, and plush handcrafted furnishings in earthy tones contribute to an opulent, regal atmosphere, reminiscent of the grandeur of the time of maharajas and maharanis. Large wrought iron and glass doors invite you into the space, where a cosy living room, kitchen, and fireplace take centre stage, allowing visitors to experience the charm of heritage furniture, intricate carpets, and a curated tea library in a tactile and sensory manner. The store, in essence, brings to life a holistic bungalow lifestyle.
The first impression of the store is grand, opulent and regal, with store windows artistically displaying exquisite colonial era-esque crockery in porcelain and silver. Upon entering, the store’s grand, regal atmosphere is immediately apparent. Large windows artistically display colonial-era crockery in porcelain and silver, while walls adorned with shelves of Luxmi Tea’s distinctive blends fill the air with enticing aromas. The walls are adorned with shelves showcasing large canisters of Luxmi Tea's unique blends. The best part? You can pick out any blend and smell the aroma! With an impeccable range of organic teas harvested in Makaibari, Narayanpur, Gisovu(Africa), Dirai and Manu valley, at Maikaibari Bungalow visitors are invited to experience the calming ritual of smelling and tasting tea before selecting their blend.
Walking further in you are taken in by the awe-inspiring colour palette of aquamarine complimented with earthy tone and wooden accents, juxtaposed by breathtaking Obeetee’s exquisite wool and silk carpets add charm to the space. Infusing the store with a bit of tradition and cultural depth are Kalighat paintings by Anwar Chitrakaar, son of the renowned Amar Chitrakaar, which celebrate Makaibari's rich heritage while connecting it to the local artistic traditions. Walking in, a carpeted wooden floor showcases Obeetee’s craftsmanship, while to the left, you’ll find an array of opulent serveware, ranging from platters and trays to opulent teaware in silver reminiscent of British Royalty, crockery, cutlery and more. Continuing forward, the space transitions into a display of Obeetee’s couture carpet collection. Taking pride in Indian craftsmanship each piece is a work of art. At the store, you can find Obeetee carpets created by some of the country's leading couturiers. These include Tarun Tahiliani's intricate gold zardozi and chickankari carpet, Abraham and Thakore's iconic Ikat-inspired carpet, JJ Vallaya's Jamawar, and Shantanu and Nikhil's colonial-era inspired pieces, among others.
Venturing further, visitors can explore a diverse range of tea blends, from green tea to chamomile, and the store proudly houses the world’s most expensive tea, Silver Tips Imperial, harvested under the moonlight on the summer solstice, June 22. Crossing through aquamarine French doors onto the scenic balcony, guests enter a tranquil space dedicated to tea-tasting sessions. Overlooking a hand-painted mural of the Himalayan foothills, this serene setting offers the perfect backdrop for savouring Makaibari’s finest blends. On the backend is a counter which houses the entire variety of Luxmii Tea unique blends that you can choose to taste and after your sensorial tea experience, you can make your way to the arched counters for payment and packaging.
Makaibari Bungalow, in essence, is more than just a store—it’s a lifestyle experience. For those seeking to enrich their homes with bespoke, handcrafted luxury or immerse themselves in a world where tradition meets sustainability, a visit to the Makaibari Bungalow offers an unforgettable journey into a timeless way of living.
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