A scale as a statement piece

When you shop at teehaus.cöln, a specialty store in the trendy shopping district of the Rhine metropolis, you'll be amazed several times over. The first time is when you enter the store and are enveloped by the unique ambience, with handcrafted fine ceramics decoratively arranged on modern Perspex shelves that transport visitors to the world of Far Eastern tea culture. Next, you are surprised by a prominently placed 'old-timer' at the counter: a Bizerba tilt scale from the 1960s that has been lovingly maintained and is still in full use despite its impressive age. When Volkmann reaches for a recommendation and selects a tea from the large selection of tins on his shelf, you are amazed for the third time. The expert manages to fill the bag with the ordered quantity of 50, 100 or 250 grams precisely — he rarely has to remove or add anything. It looks as if the scale is simply “approving” of Volkmann's work: 'That's right, Helmut!'

The tea specialist and his scale are undoubtedly a well-coordinated team. This is partly thanks to their 'partnership' — Volkmann likes to refer to it as a 'marriage' — which has lasted over 20 years. But it is also thanks to an appreciation of this vintage scale's special qualities.

Employees at the Cologne calibration office confirm that the analogue scale can easily compete with digital scales in terms of accuracy. During regular inspections, when calibration weights are placed on the scale and balanced, the old scale receives a lot of praise for its precision. The antique treasure is also popular with the team at teehaus.cöln. One employee uses it exclusively because she enjoys it so much. She says it reminds her of playing with a toy shop in her childhood.

Customers at the Cologne specialty store also have no doubts about the reliability of the old Bizerba when purchasing exclusive teas – quite the contrary. Volkmann is often approached enthusiastically and praised for how well it fits into the ambiance of his store. Furthermore, Volkmann is anything but stingy. When in doubt, he would rather measure out a little more tea than be too fussy. He finds this friendlier, and says that it has a positive effect on his shop's image.

teehaus.cöln also has an online shop that has enjoyed a unique reputation for years thanks to its selection of special teas that are only available here. Online customers cannot admire the old Bizerba scale, of course, but they do benefit from reliably weighed quantities.