McNulty's Tea Boutique in Greenwich Village: Sunday Hours

McNulty's Tea Boutique in Greenwich Village is at 109 Christopher Street, and the shop’s own site dates the business to 1895. That history is not just a decorative claim; the retail format still feels built around ingredients, names, and repeat customers rather than a quick branded transaction. The official store information lists Monday through Saturday hours of 11 AM to 7 PM and Sunday hours of 11 AM to 5 PM.

Start by looking at the relationship between tea and coffee: the business carries both, so the question is not simply “Which tea is popular?” Ask what kind of drink you want to make and whether the shop’s broader pantry-like selection gives you a better answer than a single-category boutique.

McNulty's site separates tea brands, tea, coffees, blends, and merchandise, with origin-oriented categories that include Africa and Arabia, Asia and the Pacific, North and Central America, and South America. That structure is a useful first filter. If you want an origin-led tea, begin there; if you want a dependable house-style blend, look at blends instead of comparing every single-origin entry.

The online catalog also gives a sense of the kind of names a shopper may encounter, including Golden Monkey and Gyokuro. You do not need to turn those names into a test of expertise. Use them as prompts: one points toward a richer black-tea direction, while the other suggests a Japanese green-tea conversation. Ask about how you drink tea at home before committing to a style.

Sunday is the only day on the published schedule that closes at 5 PM instead of 7 PM. That two-hour difference matters if you are building a Village afternoon around the shop. Arrive before the late afternoon rather than treating McNulty’s as a last-minute stop. The earlier you enter, the more room you have to compare tea and coffee without watching the clock as the neighborhood gets busier.

Monday through Saturday gives you the longer 11 AM–7 PM window, but longer hours do not mean you should wait until the final minutes. Specialty retail questions take time when the counter is active. Bring a short brief: black or green, caffeinated or not, everyday cup or gift. A focused question makes it easier for staff to help and keeps the line moving for everyone.

A shop with a 1895 origin story should be visited slowly enough to notice its vocabulary. Look for the way tea, coffee, equipment, and merchandise sit in the same retail world. That mix makes McNulty’s useful for someone who is not yet sure whether they are a “tea person.” You can compare the drink you already make with the next one you want to learn.

Do not confuse an old business with a museum. You are there to buy something current, and the store’s live catalog continues to organize products by region, style, and use. The best behavior is practical: ask one question, listen to the answer, and avoid blocking the counter while you reread a label. A short, informed conversation is more in keeping with the shop than a theatrical tasting ritual.

For a first purchase, choose a tea whose use is obvious. A morning black tea, a Japanese green tea for lighter drinking, or a blend that already sounds compatible with your routine gives you a clear benchmark. If you are buying a second item, make it deliberately different. Two nearly identical teas create a comparison you may not have time to make at home.

The catalog’s coffee side is also a helpful reminder not to overbuy tea. If you came with a friend who drinks coffee, let the visit serve both people rather than forcing a tea-only agenda. McNulty’s identity is broad enough to support that split. My skip is any purchase made to sound knowledgeable; the store has enough history that pretending will only make the choice less useful.

Christopher Street is a good starting point for a Village walk because the tea stop can sit between several kinds of neighborhood browsing. Leave time to walk slowly, look at the small storefronts, and let the street change pace around you. The point is not to attach an exact distance to every stop; it is to keep the afternoon local and walkable after a concentrated retail visit.

If the shop is busy, make the walk your Plan B rather than hovering in the doorway. Put the address and phone in your notes, take a short loop, and return within the published hours. If Sunday is the only day you have, remember the 5 PM close and make McNulty’s the first or middle stop. That is more reliable than hoping the shorter schedule will stretch for a late arrival.

McNulty's is for shoppers who want the story of a long-running neighborhood business along with the freedom to browse tea and coffee. It suits the person who likes asking where an ingredient comes from, the regular who already knows a favorite style, and the curious beginner who wants a real counter conversation. It is not the best choice for a formal, seated tea ceremony.

The strongest visit has a little restraint. Bring one problem—“my green tea turns bitter,” “I need a black tea for mornings,” or “I need a gift that is not generic”—and let the shop answer it. You can always return after trying the purchase. The 1895 history is valuable because it makes repeat visits feel natural, not because you need to absorb the entire catalog in one afternoon.

McNulty's Tea & Coffee Co. is at 109 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014. It also identifies the business as operating since 1895. Use the shorter Sunday schedule as a planning constraint and the longer weekday schedule for a more patient browse.

Open the Karpo APP when you want a nearby Greenwich Village route, then keep the shop visit focused on the question you brought. Tea names, origin categories, and coffee options can multiply quickly. One useful purchase, one note about how you brewed it, and one reason to return will teach you more than an overloaded bag and a shelf full of unopened packets.