Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Amstey.
Hi Taylor, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The story of Love Lamp Matcha begins back in 2018, when my husband and I started taking pottery classes together. Over the years, those classes became harder to get into, with fewer open-studio hours and limited availability. By January 2023, we started dreaming about what it would be like to have our own studio space. We also began imagining what it could look like to combine it with another passion of mine: opening a matcha shop inside the space.
A few months later, we found the perfect spot. It was a warehouse-style building with a huge open area that could be transformed into a pottery studio, and a small 100-square-foot section that felt like it was made to be a matcha bar. We didn’t know then that it would take nearly two years of permitting and hard work making it cute to bring the vision to life. That time was not wasted though, it was well spent getting the matcha side as delicious as possible. I watched countless hours of Japanese matcha tea ceremonies and learned as much as I could about the tradition and techniques behind it. We sampled dozens of matchas until we found our absolute favorite, an incredibly smooth and vibrant ceremonial-grade matcha. We invested in the best equipment we could find (nugget ice machine) and spent months dialing in our recipes. By the time all the permitting was finally complete, we were proud and ready to open.
We’ve always loved the simplicity and excellence of places that focus on doing one thing really well. That’s why we decided to keep it simple and serve only matcha. We officially opened our doors in early January of this year, and it has been amazing getting to work in a space we poured so much heart and love into.
Within a month of opening, we were offered an incredible opportunity to partner with Wanderlust Wine Co. They invited us to open a second location on the second floor of their Barton Springs Road space, which, to our surprise (and relief), was already fully permitted. Now, with two shops on opposite sides of the city, we get to share our favorite matchas with even more people. It has been a wild and exciting ride figuring out how to run two locations, but we’re so grateful to be doing what we love.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Permitting alone felt like a near-impossible feat. No one tells you what exactly is needed or what to do next, and trying to figure it all out ourselves really beat us down. Just when we thought we were getting close, we’d be hit with a long list of unexpected tasks or changes. Another restaurant owner referred a permit expediter and that really helped push us through (thank you, Matt!). He helped us navigate the system and finally get the answers we had been searching for.
There were plenty of moments when we had to ask ourselves if all of the time, energy, and money we were pouring into this dream was worth it. But through every challenge, we kept choosing to invest in ourselves. We believed in the space we were building and in the quality of the matcha we were so passionate about. We just kept hoping Austin would love it too, and so far, the support has been really really sweet!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Love Lamp Matcha is all about quality, taste, and creating a bright, welcoming space for our community. We serve ceremonial-grade matcha that we carefully selected after months of tasting and testing, and we’re passionate about making it the best we can by whisking it freshly for every single drink.
Matcha helps bring focus, clarity, and creativity, and we hope people feel that energy the moment they step into our space. Our main color, a bold swimming pool blue, along with other playful tones, is meant to spark joy and encourage inspiration. We want our shop to feel like a little pocket of brightness in your day.
In addition to being a matcha bar, our space is designed to one day house a community pottery studio, where people can create, connect, and drink their matchas! We love the idea of building a place where creativity and ritual meet, and where people feel welcome to gather.
We’re fully self-funded and putting our whole heart into this business. Every detail, from the recipes to the color palette to the way we greet you at the counter, has been thoughtfully considered. We’re proud to be building this from the ground up and are so excited to share it with our city.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’ve been helping code the loyalty app that we use, the back end part where coffee/matcha shops can see their customer data! Shout out punch club – https://www.driplabs.xyz/ 🙂
Pricing:
- $7 every drink, no add for syrup or alt milk
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lovelampmatcha.com/
- Instagram: @lovelampmatcha
Image Credits
Max Schnitzer
