I will start by saying: I'm no tea connoisseur. I stopped at Tea Time to purchase a gift for a friend. The shop boasts a wide variety of teas and, without being well-versed in the product; I'd guess that it's pretty high quality stuff. My issues aren't with the tea. My friend informed me that he absolutely loves what I selected and everything tastes delicious.
Perhaps my expectations were unrealistic. I fancied a warm and cozy tea shop with friendly staff that would help me select teas and maybe even give me a sip or two of what the store has to offer. That's not what materialized. As the only customer in the shop at the time, I had to wait until the two sales ladies finished their non-work related conversation to get noticed. One completely ignored me during my entire visit. She was too busy flipping her hair and stomping around in her stilettos to give as much as a smile. The sales lady who finally assisted me was nice enough. She seemed to know a little about tea but I had to guide the entire interaction. I was hoping that a shop that sells nothing but tea could offer some guidance, a starting point, something!
After asking to sniff a few teas, I finally selected a few for purchase. I was asked if I wanted gift wrap and I agreed since I'd already informed her that I was purchasing the tea for someone else. In my mind, I'm thinking that's awfully nice of her. What she neglected to mention is that they charge for their gift box and tissue paper. I didn't notice this until I looked at the receipt after leaving the store. I could have gone to Walgreen's and got a nice gift bag for less money.
At the end of the day, I'm happy my friend loves his tea. However, I find Tea Time cold and unwelcoming, not at all the friendly and cozy tea spot I'd hoped for. Bottom line: NOT my cup of tea!