|
Some comments we received
from our customers |
Hello,
I just wanted to drop you a
note to tell you that I
visited your store in
Sacramento today. Both your
employees-a young black man
and a young white woman were
extremely helpful and
patient with all my
questions.
Even after admitting I was
trying to find something
that tasted as good as
Lipton (for over an hour)
they never gave up on me.
The only disappointing part
was that you were out of the
tea I liked the most out of
my sampler-the milk oolong.
Clearly I’m not the only one
who thinks that is worth
purchasing…
I spent around $75 dollars
in your store between buying
a sampler and a couple of
tea pots and a bag of
tea….and promised myself I’d
come back again soon.
Please pat those wonderful
employees on the back for
me…they really sold your tea
well…
Hope you get in some of that
oolong and those samplers of
“flowering teas” they told
me about….
Sincerely,
Laura P., Sacramento, 03/10/2009 |
Dear Hina,
It was so lovely to meet you last weekend in your shop! I
won't be the first or last to congratulate you on what
a great job you're doing in not only bringing teas to
norCal, but the wonderful shop itself (wish I could
just drop in anytime)! Your passion and taste are
evident everywhere.
Just wanted to tell you how much your teas have
enhanced our experiences - most recently a chilly coastal
camping trip!
Credit where it's due... from a fan.
Lisa, 10/26/2009 |
Dear Hina,
Once again, many thanks for hosting our group on
Friday. I got so much good
feedback, I am
going to make
this an annual
event. We had a
lot of fun
trying your teas
and your amazing
desserts too. :)
Yum! Thanks
again!
Best wishes and
much gratitude.
Paul, Sacramento Epicurean Society, 07/27/2009 |
A well-designed and impeccably clean store attracts customers.
Great products and service keeps customers coming back for more.
Hina's is doing retail on an international level. This is the
type of spot you would see in New York or Tokyo. Obsessively
curated and organized yet extremely helpful and welcoming.
It is so refreshing to meet a shop owner who is pleasant and whose
attitude trickles down to all of the other employees in such a
positive way.
John G., Sacramento 04/18/09 |
Hi...a dear friend who lives in Sacramento gave me a couple
of your wonderful teas in my birthday package (Earl Grey
and Scottish Breakfast) and I'm just "bowled over" with
the taste. I have been a Twinings Earl Grey snob for
literally decades, then got into Mighty Leaf a few years
ago. But there's nothing to compare with the richness of
your teas.
My friend bought me a couple the larger 4 oz.
packages, but I'll be ordering on my own from now
on. I also just served some to another friend here in
Oregon who is also a tea lover, and she's going to
order some too. As I write this, it's 27 degrees out
with a heavy fog, and sipping the Scottish
Breakfast with a toasted slice of buttered pannetonne
bread just makes my day!
Thanks for the quality and flavor. I hope to visit
your store one day as well.
Judy W., Oregon 01/16/2009 |
I love Hina's.
The tea selections there are fantastic. I'm a huge fan of Rooibos and gunpowder green teas, which Hina's stocks in fine quantities and varieties.
I've actually met Hina on a few occasions, and she's very approachable. She is happy to visit with customers and receives criticism well. The rest of the staff in there are just a nice and helpful.
I must admit the interior is not my style, but I still find it quite relaxing in there. Some nights, they pull down a movie screen and show classic films. I love it!
Mo B. 05/23/2008 |
I'm sitting in Hina's while I write this.
I walked in off the hot street to a cool white room that reminds me a lot of my beloved Remedy Teas in Seattle. The people are darling, I didn't have to ask if they served Rooibos Chai with any degree of worry that I'd have to explain it. The answer:
We make it per order, we grind the spice blend here. Smell this.
OMG I'm in heaven! Wifi, no work, I am free to surf their free wifi, ogle the cute boy behind the tea bar, and drink all the delicious and lovely rooibos in air-conditioned, alt-rocked heaven. Thank you, Hina's. Thank you.
Amani E. 05/12/2008 |
This place is just pure awesome...It's a little easy to miss because its whiteness makes it look like it's from the future, man. Depending on what you order, you get a massive amount of liquid. You could almost save money by ordering an iced tea latte here and pouring that into your Cheerios instead of buying milk at the grocery store. If you're someone who is constantly dehydrated because his creaky apartment has the type of water pipes that rattle and shake dust whenever you flush the toilet and so you avoid doing anything that might cause a rupture including drinking from the tap (after boiling it), then a pitcher of iced tea at Hina's will help you meet your doctor's recommendation of 8 glasses of water a day.
Even with all the quantity, this place just delivers great tea...Hot tea comes in a French press. There's also various coffee drinks and fruit "smooth-teas." They probably don't make much money on serving drinks, so one entire wall is just filled with sealed bags of tea, ranging from $4 to $20 an ounce. I think one of the bags said it was hand picked by Chinese farmers genetically bred with sensitive fingers that could tell which tea leaves when boiled would blossom in a perfect floral pattern, or something like that.
On top of that, they show movies every Sunday afternoon with a big screen projector and sound system. I found out that Michael Jackson once played the Scarecrow because Hina's was showing "The Wiz." This past week, they showed "Across the Universe", which did not have Michael Jackson and suffered because of it.
You can do your coffee shop work here...there's free wifi, and seating at the bar, a cushioned bench, and some small group tables. IT's a little too white though for some people's retinas. There's also pastries here.
Dan N. 05/11/2008 |
Cool place. I bought some tea to-go, but I didn't actually drink any tea in the shop. I really wanted to buy all the cool tea "equipment"--cups, teapots, etc. And the variety of teas was great! Any place that sells rooibos is tops on my list!
Kristie S. 04/13/2008 |
My husband and I stopped by Hina's on a trip to Rick's Dessert diner. The selection of teas is overwhelming. I came in for one tea specifically and asked for recommendations for a few others. The genteleman behind the counter was friendly and offered helpful suggestions. They also had some baked goods which looked yummy but we had our hearts set on Rick's that night....another time.
Tanja K. 02/12/2008 |
I always try to find a good tea store to work in when I'm on the raod and Hina's is perfect. Some people seem to not like the decor, but it's bright, roomy and they have plugs that are fairly accessible for anyone with a laptop. I was able to sit at the bar and have my laptop plugged in behind the counter.
The tea selection is absolutely phenomenal. If you're a tea junkie you'll be in heaven and if not don't be overwhelmed, the owner can select something very good for you.
I was there on a Wednesday afternoon and it wasn't crowded at all. A lot of the customers seem to be regulars and the owner is very friendly. She'll be able to chat about you with anything or let you be to do work and enjoy tea. It's not quite as good as my beloved Miro tea at home but it comes really close.
Ryan S. 01/23/2008 |
Hinas tea is as sweet as she!
Very fair prices, helpful staff, and yummy teas!
The teas are loose tea, so you must have a french press or a diffuser!
If you like tea, i think this would be your bag!
Amithyst B. 01/15/2008 |
Hi there,
I was in the Sacramento area this past weekend visiting friends. We went by the desert shop across the street and happen to look up and see your shop.
What a treat! The store is wonderfully tranquil and inviting, shows nicely and is a comfortable place to visit. I purchased a wonderful fruit tea (Paradiso Peach) and I am in love! It is absolutely the BEST fruit tea I have ever tasted! I wish that I had purchased more than the 4 oz pouch. I did visit your website this morning with the intention of discovering other teas I might try, but to also order more of the Paradiso Peach. I did not find the Paradiso Peach on your website. Can you please tell me how I can get more (greater quantity) of this fabulous tea!?
Thank you!
M. Foster 09/05/2007 |
Hi Hina,
I was visiting my sister in Sacramento month or so ago. We went to Rick's Dessert Diner one evening and happened to stumble across Hina's afterwards. I purchased Peach Lift and Earl Grey Lavender. Both are delicious, with such a wonderful flavor! I'll definitely return to Hina's. Keep up the work!
Brendon, San Jose 05/10/2007 |
Hi there,
I came into your store for the first time on Saturday, the 24th
of February. I was walking by on my way to work at an art
gallery down the street and I saw a man leaving your
store looking quite satisfied. I looked up to see where he
was coming from, and there you were, where there had been
no tea shop just weeks before. Upon entry, I felt
welcomed into somewhere with heart. it's a tea
shop. how wonderful. You showed me around your bags of tea,
and I picked out superior gunpowder. You liked the
jewelry I was wearing, and I was flattered. I left
the store feeling like I had made quite the good
decision, and couldn't wait to try my newly aquired
herbal infusion. Well after work i took the train, and
your tea kept me in tranquility the entire way. Good
fortune followed me for the first time in a long while, as I made new friends
and rebuilt bridges with older onesover the weekend. Upon
returning home, I have found myself more motivated and
inspired to do create artwork. I feel that not only
your tea, but your shining attitude have had a lot to do
with this. I know that a business is there to provide a
service and respond
to demand, and
generate income, but
your establishment
goes beyond that for
some reason. You
aren't just selling
tea, and I think you
know that. The care
you put into what
you are doing makes
a big difference in
the lives of those
you come in contact
with. You are doing
a good thing by
introducing people
to the wonders of
what mother nature
has to offer us
through the tea
plant, but you are
doing a great thing
by tending to their
spirits and health
while they are in
your presence. I
want to thank you,
so if you wouldn't
mind, I'd like to
make a wire-wrapped
crystal hanging to
add to the
atmosphere of your
store. Just some
quartz and
tourmaline and maybe
some blue fluorite
and aquamarine. Let
me know if you have
any objection to
this, or I'll simply
make it and bring it
to you. I hope all
is well with you,
and wish you the
best in your
wonderful work. Take
care.
Flip, 02/26/2007
|
It is difficult for me to overstate my fondness for K Street's newest installment, or my affection for its infinitely charming owner. I confess that Hina herself rather fascinates me, and I would support her establishment even if she pedaled the appalling and shoddy kitsch one finds at a roadside Stuckey's. She is unapologetically sniffish about the quality of her product, and politely insists that it be consumed respectfully and knowledgably. Hina will not feed truffles to swine. I know this firsthand: when I confessed my partiality for southern sweet tea, she furrowed her brow and looked at me with an incomprehension and frowning curiosity that I will not soon forget. I may as well have told a nun that God was dead. For all her elevation, though, Hina is not insufferable, pretentious, or condescending in the least. She learned about tea in order to share that knowledge with her customers, not to lord it over us like an insecure pedant.
Her willingness to share is fortunate, because you will need Hina's expertise to negotiate her enormous and (so she says) continuously evolving inventory. They have over 250 different kinds of tea, and all are, it would seem, of the highest quality: most are single origin or estate teas, and all the fruity infusions are flavored with certified organic produce. Some might grumble about the prices, but a pot of organic or estate tea actually costs more at Temple than it does at Hina's. In addition, complementary sampling is allowed and even encouraged. Each day features a new "mystery tea," an endearing if silly gimmick brewed up (sorry) by Hina's husband, an amiable and delightfully ironic German fellow. Be advised, though: trying a new tea under Hina's watchful gaze isn't like snatching up a pizza roll from the sample tray at Costco. She is as interested in educating her customers as she is in gratifying them; she will not only unpack all the flavors you are tasting, but also explain what makes them so good together.
Every part of this establishment reflects Hina's enthusiasm and expertise. The design elements embody vibrancy and calm, dynamism and repose, in much the same way Hina herself does (talk to her for five seconds, and you'll see exactly what I mean). The dcor is sleek and sparse, but soft and inviting: think cb2 meets the Deathstar. Birch veneer, glass, and the metallic sheen of Hina's merchandise accent white counters, tables, and chairs. It all rests atop a grouted stone floor that is so smartly done that it actually made me angry that I hadn't---and never would have---thought of it.
This probably reads as much like an assessment of a person as it does a review of an establishment. But my guess is that this is how Hina would want it: the business is such a natural extension of her personality that it's difficult to talk about the one without also mentioning the other. My experience with both was unequivocally positive.
John W., 02/25/2007
|
Hi Hina,
Thank you so much for all the work you’ve done to stock your shelves with
your wonderful teas. I am especially appreciative of my new bag of Chai
Spices. I drink your Keyhung tea with Chai Spices every morning at work.
I make a small pot. Some of my co-workers like to visit me and get a cup, too.
Precilla Y. 05/26/2006 |
Hello!
My parents loved visiting your store. They want to come back the next
time they visit us. I love using the press - it works great.
Thanks for a lovely time on Saturday!
Kathy F. 05/05/2006
|
Hina,
Your teas made quite an impression at the luncheon that I had for
9 ladies today - 6 coffee only drinkers.
By the end of the luncheon and two pitchers full of iced
Wild Strawberry, at least four pots of Royal Bengel Tiger and one of
Belgian Chocolate - were enjoyed. And only one cup of coffee was
consumed.
Everyone raved about your teas and I think a couple of them will
visit you this week to do some Christmas and personal shopping. They
love the little pots and were surprised how easy it was to make the tea.
A couple plan to purchase a pot for work.
This time I managed to hang on to my pots and tea!!!
I'm so glad that I found Hina's tea.
Sue S. 12/05/2005
|
|
Check out some customer testimonials on the
Tea Map
web-site.
|
 |
|
Champagne
Tasting November 2004 (Our
belly-dancing event)
We truly enjoyed your champagne tasting in November very
much. Getting to know all those French champagnes was quite an experience. We also enjoyed the belly-dancing show with Azar a lot,
a true professional.
I hope you will invite us for your next event and we are looking forward seeing you again in your shop.
Linda M.
Auburn, CA.
|
|
Dear Hina,
I've enjoyed the tea tasting-you get a chance to try teas from all over
the world before you buy.
The fruit teas are fantastic
iced in the summer.
My favorites are the white teas which I never new existed. I enjoy the
mild flavors and the antioxidant benefits you get from them.
I also enjoy the different teapots, cups and unusual items you have in the
shop. I have purchased some for birthday and Christmas gifts, all were a
big hit.
Linda F.
|
|
Hina,
Thank you so very much for a most informative
and truly hospitable day in your wonderful tea shop. I wish you much
success in your unique endeavor to enlighten us tea dummies. Looking forward to your next
gala. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and precious time with
me.
Healthfully yours,
J. Murphy
|