🫖 Brewed in History: The Story Behind the Shop

Welcome to one of Georgetown’s most storied corners—where craft, commerce, and community have converged for over 200 years.

🪵 The Building’s Roots

The cozy space you’re standing in now, home to Fainting Goat Tea, once served as a working butcher shop in the early 19th century. But its roots run deeper. This wood-frame structure, set atop a solid stone foundation, likely dates back to the early 1800s and may have been connected to the historic Brocklebank-Nelson-Beecher House next door dated 1680s. 

With its classic six-over-six sash windows and central entry, the original building reflected quintessential New England shop architecture. Though its exterior has evolved, the framework remains a true relic of the past.

🔍 What You’re Seeing

The section of exposed wall before you reveals a peek into the original timber bones of the shop—raw, rugged, and hand-hewn. This is what the inner walls may have looked like two centuries ago.

🥩 A Slice of History

In its butcher shop days, this space buzzed with the rhythms of everyday life—neighbors stopping in for fresh cuts, sharing stories, and connecting over simple provisions.

You’ll notice a small hatch in this wall, which was once used to pass goods or supplies. And just to your left, a hidden trap door once gave access to the cool stone basement below, used for storage and preservation.

As you sip your tea and browse our goat-themed gifts, take a moment to imagine the generations who came before—doing business, sharing news, and laying the foundations for the community we know today.