I don't know anyone at Teazers personally, and am not a member of any sort of "crowd" or "scene" in Fresno, I just go there because they have great tea (the best I've ever had), and because they are very friendly. I live in Southern CA now, but every time I visit Fresno it's the first place I go. I also take my out of town friends there when I want to impress them with good tea and a fun atmosphere that is pretty unique. I used to work at a coffee shop and I'd get really irritated with the amount of people who came in and ordered starbucks drinks and expected me to know what the heck they were talking about. I think it's a little "snobby", to not take a look at the menu and see if your drink is there. If it's not there, you could have politely asked if they make something similar, instead of just assuming that everyone knows what a venti blah blah blah is. Anyway, I was just looking to see if they had a website so I could order some of their tea online, and was surprised to see your post on google search. I think it's pretty passive aggressive of you to come onto the internet and write an awful post, without ever giving them the chance to fix the situation first.

So yeah, you should probably stick to Starbucks...so that the rest of us can appreciate good quality tea in peace.

Dan W: Careful with that blasphemy around here... The kneejerk liberals will kick your ass...

You're almost a year late - talk about needing to find better things to do with your time. It doesn't matter anymore, but I guess opinions are like assholes right?

it's completely assinine that you went online and made such a big deal about this. get over yourself. boo-hoo you got teazed for ordering the wrong drink. customer service blah blah blah blah. i think you're the one who is too high and mighty and sensitive to accept the fact that you were just being teazed. so instead of letting it go you had to find some way to defend yourself. stop wasting your time complaining about things. if you're going to just drink starbuck's from now on, then just do it, there's no need to voice to everyone on fresnofamous your sad little ordeal. there are much greater things you could be doing with your time.

my bad... for butting in...

and yes, I've given a bum a sandwich (not just a sandwich but a whole meal)... even sometimes give them $5 bucks at random... although you are right, I have never invited one into my home... safety issues for my kids (not just bums, but strangers in general).

it's between you and betsy for sure... except that you and Betsy chose to make it public by posting it in this forum... I guess I can't help it. I want to listen to myself... bwwaaa hahahahaha hahaha. again my bad...

the thing is that I am not so much fond of contemptuous peeps, thinking that they're superior to others just bec. of what they say or how they are.... so there.

actually come to think of it, i visited your myspace acct. and after seeing your work, i think i've been to your pad during ArtHop. Nice work indeed. it has a lot of depth.

now... where is that malibu's kiss? if only Teazers could apply for an alcohol license; that heavenly tea would taste so much better with fine rum.

peace...

"Teazer is a very nice place to hang out, with amazing drinks"

and we keep it this way by keeping out

"asshole kids, tweakers, drugees, tower rats, stuck up pricks, bums, panhandlers, loiterers, and wierdos"

So you guys can enjoy your tea in peace.

" Is it really that hard to make tea?"

That is a great question and I am very glad you asked. After working at teazer for a year, I have tea making at teazer down to a science. I know every recipe on the menu, and a whole lot more.

The thing is, even though I have this knowledge, and expertise in making tea, when I make the same tea at home, following the same recipe, and the same processes, it still doesn't taste as good or the same as when its made at teazer.

Not to sound cheesey but there is really somthing really magical about Teazer.

So as a response, to your comment,

"Is it really that hard to make tea?"

No, its not. But is it going to be nearly as good as getting a tea custom taylored for you?

The answer is the same.

No, its not.

Also, we could go in circles about this comment:

Weren't you an agent of the store when you were serving Betsy? I think it is obvious that your actions represent Teazers as an organization while you were serving customers. This is a Teazers issue and not a Nigel issue.

Yes, it WAS a Teazer issue, and NOW its an issue, between Betsy, and myself, which is why I am taking the time to clarify, and apologise PERSONALLY.

Also,

I think I am ever so slightly demonised in this thread, and I probably come off as a jackass, snobby, stuck up, tea making, prudish, metro, belittling little snot. This is definatley wrong, and many can vouch that I am one of the nicest, most approachable, helpful people you could ever possibly meet.

"after all my profile is out there in public, with no avatars or alter egos..."

Is Socient on your birth certificate?

and....

you say (bums are people too you know)...

I live downtown. I deal with them all the time, and I am willing to bet youve never bought a bum a sandwich, or invited one into your home.

-Nigel Robertson

Mr. NR. I do not even know you but just from your reply, I could kinda get the feeling of what truly happened between you and Betsy.

Your post above includes:

"I just correct them and remind them that they are at a much far superior quality store."

"Starbucks is total SHIT compared to Teazer",

"asshole kids, tweakers, drugees, tower rats, stuck up pricks, bums, panhandlers, loiterers, and wierdos"

"Teazer is a very nice place to hang out, with amazing drinks"

Granted, Betsy was a bit off when he/she shouted profanity at Teazer, but what you have clearly is a dissatisfied customer who just wants an apology, and not a defensive prose from you that comes with contempt of other businesses and people (bums are people too you know)...

You asked:

"Shame on Teazer's why? Shouldn't it be "Shame on you Nigel!" ??? I was the one who teazed you, so why are you ripping on the whole store?"

Weren't you an agent of the store when you were serving Betsy? I think it is obvious that your actions represent Teazers as an organization while you were serving customers. This is a Teazers issue and not a Nigel issue.

As consumers, we oftentimes GO OUT OF OUR WAY to patronize local stores because we LOVE to support local businesses. What we want in return is to just let us feel welcomed and just thank us that we spend our hard-earned money in your establishment. Is it really that hard to make tea? But you know what, if I go to Teazers today and spend something like $5-$10 for a tea (that I could make)... well, maybe that will help to keep it open (and so they could continue giving jobs -- hint---)...

So you might be P.O.ed with this post right now... and you might be so inclined to e-mail me privately... after all my profile is out there in public, with no avatars or alter egos...

But if I may suggest one thing that when you apologize to a customer... just apologize (with your free drink). And also, hold the contempt. It's just the worst thing you could make a person feel.

...on Dr.Phil he would have brought on his wife, son or some other distant relative to give their two cents on the problem.

Or so I've heard, I've never seen the show..Honest.

Granted, there's freakin' Napalm all over my screen, and I feel like I just saw some sort of bizarre literary Tea serving mating ritual where things get limbs torn off and chomped, but at least everybody got to Venti, er, Vent...

This is why I also stayed old school and don't speak 'Starbucks,' nossir, Most you'll get out of me is a 'Large Regular, Light and Sweet.'

(Whole String sort of reads like a Dr. Phil thing with a TOOL soundtrack.)

I sent Nigel a message in response to his contribution to make sure he sees it in as timely a fashion as possible, but I thought I would put it here so anyone who was curious could see what I have to say.
----

Okay, I'll start off by saying I edited to post to add your name after I learned who you were through a mutual friend of ours... also I'd like to note that you must not have read further discussion afterwards or just missed the part where I said "I myself admitted it probably isn't normal behavior for all of the employees," so by no means did I say that all of your coworkers are douche bags, but the fact is any behavior that you choose is representation of your employer as a whole and because I am not a frequent customer I only have my rare encounters to go off of. My comments will not make you lose business among your loyal customers obviously but it doesn't seem that they are the ones like to see the kind of treatment I did.

For the record I am 100% I never uttered the word "venti" because I was aware that that is the starbucks way of ordering so maybe that caused a confusion that set the whole thing of. My impression was that I said what I wanted, you obviously understood what I was asking for and if in your establishment you call it something other than a latte (which were my exact words, not all that other crap you added blended vanilla blah blah) you could have just said "Oh so you want ______" and I would have said yeah.

As far as the teabagger comment goes, that was just a quip that I was surprised with myself for coming up with, not that I actually think you are a teabagger. Actually I was pretty sure you weren't but in the context of the teahouse I thought the joking part of it would come through loud and clear.

So, you must have misheard me ordering and to be honest what you said at the register didn't bother me, I felt like kind of an ass that you guys don't call it an iced chai latte like it's been called everywhere else I've ever been and that includes local places in the city where I go to school. It was when you called out my order I felt like you were making fun of me to other customers "Haha isn't this chick stupid she thinks she's at Starbucks, what a moron," being the implication of your words and tone.

Trust me, I would make fun of someone for ordering a ... whatever the fuck it was you said... venti iced blended chai latte? I don't even know... if I were in your position but NEVER to their face because that's just plain rude.

Anyway, you and I both know that nothing I have to say will ever effect business in any way, I was just (obviously) really really really really really annoyed by how you treated me. And calling and talking to the your manager or whoever wouldn't have changed anything either. What I accomplished was what I wanted and that was for YOU to find out how pissed off you made someone with your careless behavior. Even if I had been some dumb (but nice, I mean I wasn't rude or obnoxious, even if I was a little stoned!) bimbo, Teazer's would be better off dealing with someone who doesn't know how to order and comes back repeatedly than someone who is alienated for their lack of familiarity the first time they go there...

So the gist of it is I felt like I was disrespected for no good reason. It really pissed me off, I said what I wanted to. It's out of my system. Water under the bridge, if we ever meet again (which is more than likely) no hard feelings. And hey i'll probably even go back to Teazer's at some point.

Peace.
-Betsy

I would like to apologise for hurting your feelings itsybitsy, and Im very sorry I made your experience at teazer, a memorable one in a bad way. It was a little on the mean side to poke fun at you for ordering a "Venti Iced blended vanilla chai latte."

My apology is truely Genuine, and I hope that you come back for tea again, and I will personally buy you a tea if you are willing to come back.

"shame on you, teazer's world tea market."

Shame on Teazer's why? Shouldn't it be "Shame on you Nigel!" ??? I was the one who teazed you, so why are you ripping on the whole store? What justification is that for you? I am the one who was rude. So why rip on the store. you should have stared a thread that reads "Nigel YOURE A TEABAGGING ASSHOLE!"

"I am sorry Mr. Nigel Teabagger (as I will refer to you from here on out) that I have not memorized all of the items on the Teazer menu"

I work at a tea house. But im in no way a teabagger. If you want to complain about a business you should have done it formally, and had some guts, and called us instead of going and hiding behind your keyboard, on the local message boards and slandering us and with your childish insults. (behind your keyboard I might add.)

"You know what Teazer? Fuck you, next time I'll go to Starbucks where they seem to appreciate my business, and I need somewhere to go now that I'm convinced your establishment employs complete and total douche bags"

Fuck us???

Next time youll go to starbucks?

All of out employees are complete and total DOUCHE BAGS?

First off, I joked with you a little tiny bit. Im very sorry that you wear your heart on your sleeve and get offended by the stupidest most rediculous comments. Comments that any level headed person would take for a grain of salt. Im so sorry you couldn't handle what I said.

"I'll get the same motherfucking drink without some idiot Teabagger acting all high and mighty because he works in the Tower District"

If you think I act all high and mighty because I work a minimum wage job that is fun and everyone else wants my job youre nuts. I work here because I have rent to pay, I work here because I need to eat, I work here because I need to survive. Not because its the cool job to have, and everyone is going to be jealous of my job. If you knew me you would know that I have much much more to be proud of, compared to a job working in a teahouse.

Heres my myspace page, and if you take a look you will see I have much more on my mind than being prideful about a job in tower.

www.myspace.com/nigelrobertson

I must also clarify why I made a remark about you ordering a "venti vanilla chai latte."

I feel that you are confusing everything here. You think I acted all "high and mighty" because you ordered a "venti vanilla chai latte." and I took the oppertunity to correct you in a feble way of belittleing you, but that is a big mis conception on your behalf. When someone acts like they are ordering at starbucks, I dont take it personally, I just correct them and remind them that they are at a much far superior quality store. Starbucks is total SHIT compared to Teazer. And this is why a vast amount if starbucks empolyees frequent teazer religiously. When you order a starbucks drink at teazer it is like going into Fine dining restaurant, and ordering a bigmac, and then saying that you cant tell the difference between bigmacs and their food.

Teazer is a very nice place to hang out, with amazing drinks, and you, or anybody shouldn't stop coming because you had one bad experience.

We deal with a hell of a lot of asshole kids, tweakers, drugees, tower rats, stuck up pricks, bums, panhandlers, loiterers, and wierdos, that we constantly have to regulate, and often regular people get mistaken for one of these and we dont put up with that kind of shit. So if you were asked to leave, kicked out, or even allegedly SCREAMED at you probably fit into one of those catagories.

So this should clear some things up and Im going to be anxiously waiting for your replies...

I used to support local coffee joints in the Tower (loved Java Cafe!). Then I discovered the pitfalls of both the Revue and Teazers. Ironically, Starbucks in much more supportive of the locals than the other two.

I really appreciate your contributions to the conversation Out of the Void. Why? Because though I am ranting, raving and giving a public "Fuck You" to someone who pissed me off, I myself admitted it probably isn't normal behavior for all of the employees.
The thing is I didn't have time to ask for a manager and was practically out of the door when I was REALLY insulted by the rude employee who seemed to be using me to make his group of friends laugh. I am not complaining because it's a locally owned operation that can't provide service as swiftly etc. as Starbucks, if I didn't want to support local I wouldn't have been there. I always liked the place before, despite a friend of mine having been SCREAMED AT by the owner once...

But when I am in Fresno I live on the complete opposite end of town so going in to talk to the manager would be way too much work. Here's to me hoping they will find out that this little thread is in existence and finding out they need to shape up. Wish I had the guy's name. I honestly don't want to walk in there and I'm too lazy (and much more honestly, too TIMID) to call.

I spent my life from age 2-17 here. I used to be into the whole Tower scene when it was all dirty hippy Tower Rat kids and after they were run out, little indie scenesters. So I KNOW Tower and I prefer it a million times to every other part of town, it's just such a shame that people so often feel alienated by the "regulars" of the area because they aren't hip enough or whatever standard these people are going for (other people have complained about this in conversation with me before). And I don't mind "kids" from 18 to mid twenties because I AM one of them...

But I got out of here to go to Europe and then college. I have been to many different cities and you know Fresno in general seems to have a special knack for rude and unfriendly and irrationally elitist.

So I guess my general feeling is, Teazer, get over yourself because if you think not being Starbucks makes you better you're wrong, BEING EVERYTHING THEY AREN'T is what will make you better. Which means being extra nice

The first time I went to teazers I sat with someone who was very interested in finding out who I was, what I thought of Fresno, my views on life, -and thought that Teazers was a great place to just sit and talk. (that person became a good friend.)

We sat and talked for probably,,, shit, what was it, Blake, 3 to 4 hours?
Whole time, the staff took care of us, asked if we were okay, refilled the tea pot a few times...
That made an impression on me...
I think they made (maybe,) twenty bucks ---which if you break it down financially, 4 or 5 bucks per hour???
They had no problem with us being there, and the place was nice and cozy.

Other times I've gone in since? It's usually been one of the first places we'd hit at BikeHop.

The only bad thing I can say about that?
When you order a custom blended tea, that takes a while to prepare, ---and suddenly you have twenty plus people descending all at once?
-Don't expect to be out the door in two minutes... (So, I'd recommend the bottled teas or something easier..)
-The staff usually is ripping around like a NASCAR pit crew trying to get stuff done, and working their asses off.

I don't know how many times I've been in the place, to be honest, but it's been a lot.

Have there been kids, (18 to Mid Twenties,) there? Yeah, usually.
-And they're fine, you can tell good conversations have been going on.
-Lately I see people in there with their computers and books sometimes, (so obviously the conducive 'be at home here,' environment that I found on the first day hasn't left, (or nobody would be there.)

I'm not writing this to diminsh your experience,
-and if what you are writing happened?
It should be brought to the owners attention and the staff should be questioned, the situation handled, -and perhaps an apology given to you (with something offered as proof of the sincerity.)

Maybe they were just having a bad day, I don't know.
It does not mean that you were not treated incorrectly, -but maybe they just screwed up this time, and need to not do so again, (and continue on with their otherwise positive track-record.)

Personally? I'd hate to see the place loose it's disposition, it's standing in the community, and see business decline because of something that could be corrected.

And, yes, I do have a friend or two (that I think still works there,) and would be the first to tell them,
'...ah, dude, if you go being an asshole to people, they are not going to like it, it will cause business to suffer, and you're going to loose your job, rightfully so...'
---And I think they'd get it, and shape up...

--But I doubt that the person you encountered was my friend,
as they are actually quite good with people,
and often are quite cordial and are quite wonderful to be around... (I wish you'd have run into them instead... your feelings about the place would probably be much different.)

I also would hesitate to lump Teazers in with Fagans in terms of service or customer treatment. I've talked with a LOT of folks about their experiences at Fagans, and the percentage of actual positive experiences is extremely small, (and these are not people who enjoy downing others.)

Re: the issue of the owners emotional melt-down and paranoia of the government (or whatever...) -Well, that's unfortunate, and I hope they're feeling better.
That it was 'the source of entertainment,' to others? That strikes me as a bit cold and narrowminded.
-And we don't need any more reputation of that in Fresno, do we???

You've posted your comments and complaint, you've written your 'Fuck You,' (so I guess you're getting your revenge on the deal publically,)

-Perhaps just talking with the owner, or a manager, explaining your concern, and making it clear that such will not be tolerated,
--Will actually cause a change in the situation, and correct it...
-And you might even get good stuff for free... (did you think about that?)

Or, you can simply trash the place for it's faults, and further the mindset that:
-California has on Fresno,
-Fresno has on surrounding areas,
-Tower has on Riverpark,
-vice-versa,)
and how people have towards each other...
(something of which, I can tell you was know as far away as East Bumbleville NY, by the locals.
-'...You're going to Fresno? man the folks there are so negative... Why?'

Choose.

Bizarre behavior is evidently the norm at Teazers. The first year the place was open, the owner decided to do a "yard sale" type event on the sidewalk. Several of the neighbors saw flyers advertising the sale and called Teazers to find out more about it.

According to postings on Tower Exchange (the area Yahoo group), the owner had a meltdown, accusing callers of being from a government agency, out to get her and her business. Folks on Tower Exchange had fun trashing the reputation of the business over that little exhibition.

I too have heard the staff isn't the most friendly in the world. Teazers survives off the patronage of sorority kids from Fresno State (according to The Collegian).

this reminds me of another place that is now gone... I remember hearing stores like this about Fagan's Irish Pub, and where is that place today... it's gone, local places have to have a much better service and charm than a Starbucks or other competition, to keep the regulars and locals coming back.

I'm sure all of their employees aren't this way but the fact that at work you would even CONSIDER treating a customer like that, I was shocked. It makes me think their entire place has a very very bad attitude.

Your post almost makes me wanna go and experience this for myself. Geesh, are they really that bad??? Can anybody second this???

I've never ordered anythang in there b4...just browsed...

~Rell www.myspace.com/559rell www.myspace.com/trellthareallamane (music production)