The famous tea shop No. 1 on Myasnitskaya Street has maintained its profile for almost a century and a half. It was previously owned by the tea kings Vasily Alexeyevich Perlov and his son Sergey Vasilyevich.

The story began in the 18th century when Moscow merchant Ivan Mikhailovich Perlov, owning a house on Bolshaya Alexeyevskaya Street, joined the merchant guild. These were the first, Peter's merchant guilds, predecessors of the Catherine's. His son Alexey opened retail tea shops in Moscow in 1787.

At that time, tea trade in Russia was a risky business, as Muscovites were not yet accustomed to tea, and it was unclear whether it would become popular or remain a "useful herb" in pharmacies. Alexey Perlov took a bold step by starting to sell tea at retail.

In the Perlov Trading House, tea was sold by varieties, and later Vasily Perlov, the founder's son, began actively fighting against counterfeits that flooded the market. This was due to the fact that trade through the Far East became duty-free, and China limited the export of quality tea. In Russia, even used tea was sold, specially dyed for this purpose. Perlov succeeded in passing a law on the sale of tea only in packages indicating the manufacturers. In Vasily Perlov's stores, quality tea could be purchased even in small quantities, allowing low-income people to try expensive varieties.

Sergey Perlov was the first to sell tea in tin cans, and for esteemed clients, the goods were presented in crystal boxes.