Teavana

[TacoBell]

I am of two minds about Teavana, just as I am about Starbucks. I am not a fan of SB's coffee....find it bitter and the frapamachiato concoctions only a distant relative of coffee with the fat and sugar completely cancelling any of the good a black cup of java does the body and soul. I also absolutely refuse to speak SB's....when I order a small cup of coffee I am always corrected by the cashier..."you mean a Grandejumbo?" or some such idiocy....and I restate, "a small black coffee." But what cannot be disputed is that the general level of quality of coffee in the US has risen immeasurably since the SB's phenomenon. I am hopeful that Teavana will initiate a similar quiet change in the quality of tea in this country...which is worse than coffee was 20 yrs ago. It still astounds me how bad the tea can be in otherwise excellent eating establishment.

I do like the double walled glasses Teavana sells. I don't think they are much pricier than comparable glasses. Never bought the tea as we have better sources for that

 

[arghblech]

Stating in conclusory fashion that it's "horrible" doesn't really shed any light, BTW.

The OP asked for opinions and I gave one. I could care less if it meets your approval Hrm, putting a smiley on the end of that didn't really soften it much did it.

Why Teavana is pants:

1) Insane prices for unspeakably bad tea
2) Insane prices for poor quality teaware
3) Staff that knows nothing about the tea they sell and gives insanely bad advice to new users
4) Staff that tries to upsell worse than a cell phone company

I think they actually push folks away from tea because if you follow the directions they give you or try the products they recommend you are almost certain to have a poor experience. Even the irritating little shop with all "Organic" teas near my house is a massive improvement over Teavana.

 

[strat1117]

The OP asked for opinions and I gave one. I could care less if it meets your approval Hrm, putting a smiley on the end of that didn't really soften it much did it.

Why Teavana is pants:

1) Insane prices for unspeakably bad tea
2) Insane prices for poor quality teaware
3) Staff that knows nothing about the tea they sell and gives insanely bad advice to new users
4) Staff that tries to upsell worse than a cell phone company

I think they actually push folks away from tea because if you follow the directions they give you or try the products they recommend you are almost certain to have a poor experience. Even the irritating little shop with all "Organic" teas near my house is a massive improvement over Teavana.

Why is everyone getting so attitudinal lately? Lighten up. I don't give a hoot one way or the other. At least now it's clear that you have no axe to grind.

 

[arghblech]

Why is everyone getting so attitudinal lately? Lighten up. I don't give a hoot one way or the other. At least now it's clear that you have no axe to grind.

I am a pretty constant contributor in this part of the forum so being told that I'm not adding anything is pretty offensive. I don't know what other kind of response you could have expected.

Now, as for Teavana. I actually don't have an axe to grind with them. Every experience I've had with them has been negative. I went in as a tea noob and when *everything* they told me about tea clashed with what I'd read here and in other forums I got pretty suspicious and left. I would never insult a host by rejecting his tea because it came from that shop but I wouldn't ever recommend someone make a purchase there.

 

[Gruder]

Alright, gentlemen. Let's move on. It's a thread about tea, for Pete's sake!

I for one would like to hear more about alternatives to Teavana, both online and B&M. What sort of assortment should a person interested in moving beyond grocery store tea look to try?

 

[strat1117]

Alright, gentlemen. Let's move on. It's a thread about tea, for Pete's sake!

I for one would like to hear more about alternatives to Teavana, both online and B&M. What sort of assortment should a person interested in moving beyond grocery store tea look to try?

I had drafted a response but deleted it before I saw this.

'nuff said.

Thank you, Chad

 

[ouch]

It still astounds me how bad the tea can be in otherwise excellent eating establishment.

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/that-costs-what/

 

[jdudley76]

FWIW, I'm a total a tea newb and happen to like Teavana because they opened my eyes to a much better tea drinking experience than I had been used to.

I have never experienced a pushy salesperson there...just the opposite.

Also, I really like being able to smell the tea before purchasing. Maybe more experienced tea drinkers don't need this, but it helps me.

As I get more into this I will likely find other sources for tea (there's no denying Teavana is expensive), but for now I am happy with it.

 

[craig87c]

FWIW, I'm a total a tea newb and happen to like Teavana because they opened my eyes to a much better tea drinking experience than I had been used to.

I have never experienced a pushy salesperson there...just the opposite.

Also, I really like being able to smell the tea before purchasing. Maybe more experienced tea drinkers don't need this, but it helps me.

As I get more into this I will likely find other sources for tea (there's no denying Teavana is expensive), but for now I am happy with it.

I feel the same way. The only reason I don't buy from them anymore is that they canceled my two favorite types of tea- plain gunpowder and rooibos. Great quality and prices for both. Probably why they dropped 'em

 

[closer]

I've had the Matevana at Teavana, and really like it. Also had the Matevana blended with vanilla, which makes it sweeter, and liked it as well. I agree that the sales staff is pushy, and the teas seem overpriced, but don't really get the analogy with Starbucks and the burnt coffee - do people think the tea itself is that bad? Thanks to this thread, though, will try some of the other online places listed.

 

[netsurfr]

A Teavana truck ran over my dog.

Ran over my cat and my dog...

 

[Erik]

Ran over my cat and my dog...

I can't stand them either.

A Teavana employee got my mistresses' girlfriend pregnant...

 

[tieguanyin]

I can't stand them either.

A Teavana employee got my mistresses' girlfriend pregnant...

Well if anyone is interested in reading feedback from former Teavana employees, there is always this !