Bonnie Freeland and Susan Orchelin are tea lovers. During their 35-year friendship, they’ve searched for new tea shops where they’d sit for hours chatting, laughing, dreaming and drinking pots of tea.

There’s nothing like a good cup of tea with best friends, they say.

Susan supplied strong tea and sympathy when Bonnie received unexpected news on Oct. 8, 2004.

“After 20 years with a national company, I lost my job,” she said. “I was shocked.”

Bonnie has strong faith and she trusted God to open another door for her. The knock came with surprising speed.

Two days and many pots of tea and tears later, her sister-in-law called.

“Guess what? The tea shop in Eudora is for sale.”

Bonnie contacted the owners and collected details.

“I was excited and nervous at the same time,” she recalled. “My husband is generally conservative with finances so when he told me to go for it, I knew it was the right thing to do.”

Within days, she and Susan purchased the building and the name. Madame Hatter’s Tea Room at 702 Main St. in Eudora re-opened on Nov. 1.

“I was dazed,” Bonnie said. “Within a month, I’d lost my job and become co-owner of my dream tea place.”

She’s now sole owner and employs her sisters, sisters-in-law and nieces. Susan still travels and calls from different places to share unusual ideas from new tea shops.

The elegant, fun Madame Hatter’s was formerly a bank. It now reflects traces of bygone days with echoes of formal New England tea-drinking circles. Pastel wall colorings complement the hand-painted chairs and cotton flower-patterned tablecloths covered with delicate lace. Antique tea memorabilia adorns the walls and shelves. You can let your eyes linger on antique teapots, hats, pictures and posters of bygone tea shops, or the fancy parasols hanging discreetly from the high ceiling. The place has an airy, light-hearted atmosphere.

The original vault is now a “dress-up for tea” closet. There’s an array of wigs, hats, scarves, capes, handbags, jewelry and even princess tiaras.

I settled for a large pink straw hat; my friend chose a more modest ’30s-style one.

The tea selection was overwhelming. Besides the more common English brands of Twinings and Typhoo black tea bags, there’s an array of fancier ones by Ahmad’s of Queen Victoria Street London and Taylor’s of Harrogate

Tammy, Bonnie’s sister, helped me choose the one with vague royal connections. She served it in a china teapot, placed on a heated stand, and accompanied by a hot-water pot. I glimpsed tea heaven.

The menu was temptation personified. Should I start with the healthier salad with quiche or chicken croissant or go straight to the desserts? I lapsed and went for salad and croissant, followed by yummy scones with a Kansas version of Devon cream (with cheese.) Daily desserts vary, but scones are always included.

The croissant and scones were the best I’ve tasted in an American tea shop.

As we ate, Susan Anderson from Eudora, her daughter Emily, a student of criminology at Washburn University, and granddaughters from Tulsa, Okla., were having fun in the closet.

“We love to dress up,” they enthused and transformed themselves with wigs and hats.

Karl Hassard, who has taught at several universities, has hosted alumni meetings there. He came with fiancee Karla Green and in-laws Steve and Kimberly Green for a wedding taster session. Bonnie produced an array of miniature menu items.

“This is such a neat place, and Bonnie’s a great lady,” Karl said.

Madame Hatter’s operates from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Special celebratory events like showers, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, retirements and birthdays can be arranged outside normal business hours by appointment. Bonnie will change and rearrange the menu to suit the particular occasion.

You also can purchase various tea-related gifts in a range of prices. There are rabbit-, cat- and teapot-shaped tea bag rests for as little as $4, to more expensive china tea sets and pots.

Madame Hatter’s is a delightful wonderland for tea lovers of all ages and well worth the drive to Eudora.

You can find further details at www.madamehatters.com.

Service: 5

Ambience: 5

Tea: 5