Teavana

Oh I love place. We were walking by and the lady offered a cold drink. (Damn garden state plaza is a maze). And we took and and then decided to get a cup to go. This place smells amazing! It’s intoxicating! We got a youth berry orange blossom, the taste was so clean and refreshing. You actually felt healthier after. Might be a mental thing. We also got raspberry limeade. That was even better. It’s like juice with no draw back cause of the sugar. And had no caffeine, something to think of when giving it to a child. Over all its was great. Once we run out of tea bags, and once you do too, shell out the extra $ and get teavanna. I mean if you a tea person. If your not, just get a to go cup.

visited for the first time last week. had a nice time looking around by myself, but was subsequently rushed through the sales process and decisions were made for me by the pushy alt girl in her 20s. left very frustrated and likely will never return.
while the salesgirl’s figures may be up during december, i’d rather go to mcnulty’s for my actual tea purposes after my experience at teavana. very bad for repeat business. if i were starbucks i’d be cringing at the operational mess and shortsightedness going on in GSP.

Strolling through the Garden State Plaza, my son, (who frequents Teavana with his friends for the free samples) hooked my arm and pulled me in the direction of the store… «Let’s go try some samples.»
If you a newbie to the world of loose tea like I am, go try some of their delicious samples. There were 4 or 5 delicious teas for sampling, both hot and cold. The chilled blueberry bliss was fruity, energizing and delicious. One of the hot teas was also fabulous: a combination that was slightly spicy, spiked with cinnamon and had a sweet finish. I enjoyed that sample so much that I decided to take the plunge and buy some loose tea and an infuser. Here is where the review goes from 5 stars to 1 star, hence the final 3 star review.
I wanted to buy a small amount of tea and an inexpensive tea infuser/​brewer.
The problem with Teavana, like so many other reviewers have pointed out, is the sales tactics. They are super hard sell and rather aggressive, to the point that I was made to feel somewhat inadequate because I didn’t feel the need to purchase an ultra expensive tea pot. And if you like to browse and look around when you walk in a store, be prepared to feel like you are being stalked by the sales people as they try to initiate you into their tea cult.
* No I don’t want to buy a $ 200 cast iron tea kettle
* No I don’t want to buy a pound of tea for $ 130
* No I don’t want to buy a special tea thermos for $ 60
* No I don’t want to buy an airtight tea tin for $ 15
* No I don’t want to buy 3lbs of German rock sugar for $ 26
Since I am a beginner to the world of loose leaf tea, I ended up purchasing a $ 19.95 Teavana Perfect Tea Maker: an inexpensive, efficient and simple way to steep a perfect cup of tea. I love it and highly recommend it!
While I was at the register getting read to pay for my tea and inexpensive tea infuser, the sales clerk rather condescendingly says, «I hope you have a thermometer at home to assure that the water for steeping your tea is 195 degrees»
Me: «Of course I do»
I’m walking out of Teavana with my son and ask him, «What temperature does water boil?»
He answers: «212»
I tell him: «Well, we are going to boil water, sit it on our granite countertop for 30 seconds, and pretend it is 195 degrees»
Sorry, but evidently I was not able to discriminate if my tea has been steeped at 212, 197 or 189 degrees. All the tea I have consumed has been delicious and not bitter. Oh, and I used Domino cane sugar and my tastebuds were tricked into thinking it was organic German Rock sugar.
The teas are wonderful: complex, aromatic and delicious… stop in and try a sample the next time you are walking past Teavana.

Couldn’t wait to get home so I could write my scathing review on this poor excuse for a tea shop.
I’m not a big tea drinker. I do enjoy the occasional cup of tea when I’m sick or if it’s chilly outside. Anyway, a woman outside asked me and a friend if we would like to try some tea. She continued to take us all around the shop, trying different teas, most of which were quite delightful. We both liked this one tea we tried and decided to give it a go. Oh my gosh if I could take it back… go back in time… WHERE THE HECK IS DR. EMMETT BROWN WHEN YOU NEED HIM?!
So the red-​headed lady that was helping us talked us into getting these tea tins. I should have known right then and there that we are about to be swindled. Swindled hard. One way train to Swindle Town, USA. Got the 6 dollar tin and she tried relentlessly to sell us the 7 dollar tin. We said we weren’t interested and she gave us the dirtiest look! WE SAID WE WANTED TWO OUNCES OF TEA. Two ounces costs about 6 bucks. I assumed I would pay about 12 bucks for this overpriced tea. Then she started filling…
And filling. And filling. She said, «Oh! It’s a little over but it’s because…» I can’t quote the rest cause I don’t remember, but I’ll paraphrase. Something about the balance of the flavors, ratio of awesomeness to fruitiness, I’m not entirely sure. Anyway, the girl who gave us the samples runs over and says, «Oh! You tried a BLENDED tea. You’re only getting the one! Oh my gosh! I’m saving your life right now.» What the heck do I know the difference? Before I knew it, she was putting a whole new tea in the tin.
We should have said something. We REALLY should have said something… but how much can tea cost?
Red-​headed girl goes on to ask my friend how she prepares her tea. She informed her that she uses a French press. Well, by the reaction of this girl, it was almost like she just told her she murders puppies. «YOU CANNOT PREPARE YOUR TEA THAT WAY! IT IS UNHEALTHY TO DO THAT TO YOUR TEA!» …Didn’t know tea has feelings. We, however, as human beings totally have feelings. But she didn’t seem to get that. She went on to roll her eyes at her coworker, making a big deal about how little we knew about tea. REALLY?! I should have made a big deal about how little she knows about customer service!
Long story not-​so-​short, she rings us up and each of us has to pay close to 40 bucks. We asked for 2 ounces. Should have been no more than 12 dollars, but they just keep making you feel bad about yourself. They belittle you, making you believe that you are some waste of space that doesn’t understand the essence and joy of tea. Well, after this trip, I loathe tea. Not really, but this experience left a bad taste in my mouth. (Pun intended.) Thank you, random employee, for crushing my tea dreams. I will never return to Teavana. Well, I might. Just to take a ridiculous amount of free samples. Gotta get my money’s worth somehow.

I recently wanted to explore the world of tea. So we ended up going to the closest Teavana store.
Firstly the staff in the store is pushy. Very pushy. Not really knowledgable about tea.
We tasted the tea samples. This tea is basically sugar and water. Teavana does not sell tea, it sells sweet water.

Just thought I’d update, since I had occasion to go to Teavana *again*…
(DISCLAIMER: It was not the Paramus, NJ location this time. However, I think it’s appropriate to include this review here because ALL Teavanas I’ve ever been to have the same obnoxious upselling practice, and the Paramus location, which I went to before, is definitely no exception.)
I was buying a gift set as a Christmas present for my brother. I already knew which one I wanted to buy and I was planning to get in, buy it, and be gone. (The set was $ 69.95 for some of their tea blends and sugar – with canisters included! OMG.)
I went in and told the woman which set I wanted by name. I figured she would give it to me, ask me if I needed anything else, I would say no, and that would be that. But would you believe she actually found a way to upsell me on the gift set. She suggested I add some «Easter eggs» to the set. WTF, I asked. Easter eggs, she explained, meant buying some extra tea to slip into the prepackaged gift set. !!! Yeah, only at Teavana.
Then she tried to upsell me on a teaspoon. No.
Honestly, the main problem with all of this is not that it’s annoying, but that it’s really awkward and makes you feel bad. The woman was nice, she was an older lady, and because I know a lot about Teavana, I knew that Teavana was going to screw her over for only selling me one thing. So I don’t even know if I would have felt worse buying Easter eggs or not buying Easter eggs. Either way, dealing with Teavana in-​store makes me feel bad every time.
They really need to change their business practices because this shopping experience is a huge turnoff. They have a good product, and if they just sold it in a normal way it could be a good store.
(Oh, and the gift set I bought was marked down to $ 35 the day after Christmas. Funny that.)

The teas are okay. Granted one can replicate it at home but who has the time? I agree with the comments regarding the sales tactics. It is pretty disgusting and it should be addressed!
I have been to two stores and I am warning everyone to scrutinize your purchase receipt prior to leaving the Paramus store. I visited the store 4÷7÷12, spent only $ 34.52 and was overcharged $ 20.20 for tea that was not in my possession. I called immediately when I got home and a manger agreed to reimburse me. Not knowing how to reimburse me when I returned two days later, I was pressured and defeatedly settled for a purchase; what a sales rep referred to as «free tea.» Problem solved, right? NO! I just checked my AMEX statement and I was charged again on 4÷9÷12 for $ 54.72. WTF? Are they crazy?

I will definitely give to them that their teas are unique in taste, but their prices are outrageous. I am a tea person (well, more of a milk tea type of gal) so this plain stuff doesn’t really do it for me. I went scouting for a bubble tea stand during my trip to GSP one day only to find that it had sadly closed down already. I then pursued my mission instead on finding any tea place so I could get my java fix & continue on my shopping endeavors.
Finally located Teavana after downloading the Westfield mall app and I found them to be «okay,» but they’re not amazing. Their products are very natural and the store is clean, but the prices that they charge weren’t equivalent to the iced chai tea I had. Bland-​ass Iced chai tea for $ 5? Never again.

I buy 90% of my tea from teavana. I love their selections as well as a lot of their other tea related items they have in stock. Being an avid tea drinker, i drink about 32oz of tea a day; Teavana has a selection that enables me to keep the teas I’m drinking on a daily basis new and interesting.
As for the store the sales people were kind of and friendly. This past time I felt that they were slightly over eager to sell me things I said I was looking for. Such as, I was looking for a replacement tea cup for work since I accidentally broke mine last one. The guy tried selling me fancy cups with strainers, thermos cups to take in the car. After I explained I just needed a cup and they I had everything else. I almost felt bad I didn’t purchase any of the other things he showed me but then I realized I clearly told him i just wanted a cup and since I bought that it subsided.
As a side note: I did order a cup tea from them and being that i drink so much tea i know the steep times for the teas i drink and approximate times for types of teas. He defiantly over steeped my very expensive green tea by about 2 mins which starts giving the tea a bitter taste. I didn’t realize this until i was out walking around, and granted I didn’t realized until after thinking how we were talking about thermos’s and such that it was still steeping but it is rather annoying when you paying around $ 5 for a cup of something and it wasn’t prepared right.

Love, love, love Teavana! I used to frequent the one in Freehold Mall, but since I relocated to the Northern NJ area, I was happy to know there was one in Paramus. The biggest down side is that I have to deal with the crowds at Garden State Plaza. However, it is worth it to have such a nice set of employees assist me. I also love that there is a tea bar, and that I can get a cup on-​the-​go.

I had walked right by this place dozens of times without ever setting foot inside. Located in a quiet corner of the Garden State Plaza, all I ever noticed about it were the ornate tea pots and beautifully decorated tea cups lining the windows… and of course that fantastic aroma.
Not being a huge tea drinker, I never really had the urge to go in. One day of shopping, my friend suggested we go in so he can get something for his allergy headache. I fell in love with the place.
Teavana has several samples out to taste; both hot and cold varieties… you can partake in some of the specials without having to order from the non-​existent menu. Fortunately, they do have a little pamphlet you can take which has great information about the different kinds of teas and acts as a quasi-​menu. The employees are all very nice (except for one older gentleman who helped me one time) and are willing to assist you however possible. You can tell them your tastes, or as my friend did my first time there; get a special brew for one of your ailments.
I hate the attitude of the coffee-​shop ‘baristas’, that they are mightier than all because of their knowledge on the subject of the lowly coffee bean, but here you get the feeling that the brewers actually do know about the teas. They have yet to tell me or anyone I go with how to have our tea and are never snooty, but will make the kind (and usually very good) suggestion. They precisely measure the temperature of the water and have timers to know when exactly each is done. As a fore-​warning, if you get an iced version, you will be waiting a little longer.
The last time I went, I was looking for something to brew my tea with in the office. One of the young ladies (I wish I knew her name, always very helpful) helped me pick out all my required ‘tools’, and even steered me away from things «I really didn’t need». The cost-​saving advice was greatly appreciated.
Teavana is a great place to get an alternative to the usual cup of $ 5 coffee. It may not be as ‘hip’ as the cup of Starbucks, but I’m not out to impress anyone… it is a beverage, not a fashion accessory.
Unfortunately, Teavana can not get a 5 star rating with me because of one huge flaw: it lacks any sort of seating area. I assume it is due to the fact it is meant more as a «Come in and get your tea» place than a «come in and hang out» establishment. I also wish they had more places, not just the one in the area which is only accessible through the mall.
COST: about as much as any coffee shop
FOOD: no food but the teas are incredible. My brother didn’t like what he had last time, but he just copied what I ordered instead of looking for something he would have enjoyed more
SERVICE: very nice employees, most are willing to help you pick out something you will love. They really do seem to be there to help you, not just make a pay-​check.
ATMOSPHERE: a tiny corner of the mall shop with tea-​cups and pots with a wall full of all sorts of different kinds of teas.
I RECOMMEND: The Rooibos Pacific Sunrise tea, a light red tea with an incredible piña colada flavor thanks to the pieces of coconut and pineapple.