The Story of Peoria Women’s Club Tea (and Coffee)
On February 17, 1896, the Peoria Women’s Club received a unique business proposition from Gauss & Shurtleff, a well-established local grocery firm. The company sought exclusive rights to name a special tea blend after the club. In return, they promised to provide the club with free tea. After a brief discussion, a motion was passed granting them the right to name it "Peoria Women’s Club Tea," modifying the originally proposed name by dropping "House" and adding "Peoria."
Gauss & Shurtleff also branded one of their coffee varieties as "Peoria Women’s Club Coffee." This strategic marketing decision promoted their products and fostered goodwill between the business community and the civic-minded women of Peoria by establishing a notable association with the Peoria Women’s Club.
The Men Behind the Brand
William Gauss was a prominent Peoria grocer for over three decades. Born in Germany in 1842, he emigrated to the United States with his family in 1853. His parents initially engaged in the cigar manufacturing business in Peoria until 1869, when Gauss launched his own grocery business at 209 S. Madison Street. Over time, he expanded his operations, becoming a wholesale grocer and the proprietor of Union Coffee & Spice Mills. His enterprise also included the manufacturing of fine confectionery, flavoring extracts, and even fireworks. Beyond business, Gauss was deeply involved in public service, serving as an alderman, city treasurer, and county treasurer. He married Louise Pottschoff in 1867, and together they raised seven children.
Flavel Shurtleff, Gauss’s business associate, was also a key figure in Peoria’s commercial landscape. He owned and operated the Model Grocery, Bakery & Meat Market at 207 S. Madison Avenue, first listed in city business directories in 1877.
Legacy in a Cup
The partnership between Gauss & Shurtleff and the Peoria Women’s Club was an early model of corporate sponsorship and mutual benefit. That spirit continues today with the Peoria Women’s Club’s Cosecheras Coffee, bringing history full circle.
In March 2024, the Peoria Women’s Club launched its signature Cosecheras Coffee in partnership with Café Santa Rosa in Peoria Heights. Proceeds support free preventive healthcare clinics, childcare programs, and sustainable income opportunities for women coffee harvesters at Finca Santa Rosa in Cauca, Colombia. Additionally, owners Marta and Heber Vidal are donating a portion of sales to the Peoria Women’s Club’s restoration effort to transform its 1893 kitchen/pantry into a commissary kitchen for women entrepreneurs.
Over a century after Gauss & Shurtleff’s partnership, socially conscious business collaboration remains at the heart of the Peoria Women’s Club, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to empowering women and fostering community progress.