You are first drawn in by the sound of trickling water from the pond a few feet from the sidewalk. Turn, and see the flowing fountain of water surrounded by benches, umbrellas, handcrafted wind chimes, a miniature bridge; vignettes of beauty. Walk straight ahead and enter«Jai Yen»(translation: Calm Heart) a world of peace, tranquility, and artistic expression. The storeowner is a delightful person who sources many of the store’s handcrafts from Thailand and will be able to tell you in details about the artisans’ work and craftsmanship on display. I purchased a beautiful hand-carved wooden dolphin wind chime, and am definitely looking forward to returning and discovering other treasures in this store. A must-stop when you are in King’s Beach.
Jeff C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Lincoln, CA
This is the best store we visited during our trip. We bought the perfect ganesha statue and some mala beads for my wife. No tourist junk here, and the owner was helpful and friendly. We will definitely be regular customers. For the uniqueness and quality of the goods, the prices are reasonable. Support businesses like this one. If you don’t, they go away. There are a ton of great gift ideas that you won’t find anywhere else.
Cathy A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Irvine, CA
I visited this store after reading all the great Unilocal reviews, and I was not disappointed! The owner, Christy, is darling. She made me a cup of tea, and I happily browsed for almost an hour. I found all sorts of treasures, that were quite reasonably priced. I can’t wait to go back in the summer when the gardens are blooming! Go and be prepared for a shopping treat!
Ernest D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Truckee, CA
Kings Beach’s hidden treasure. It is not immediately understood what this is from the street, but once inside you are transported to an eastern paradise with lots of gorgeous things for you or your loved ones as well as treasures to decorate home or garden. My favorite place in Tahoe to find gifts for birthdays and holidays.
Allie A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Incline Village, NV
I love the feeling of this little gem, tucked away in a garden just off the main road in Kings Beach. It feels like a home(and it is), chock a block with all sorts of goodies, mostly from Asia(India, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.) Having been to all of those countries, I know that the owner has hand-picked items that are of good quality, and yes, I know that I paid $ 1 for a handmade bamboo bowl in a Hanoi that would cost 20x that much here, but then again, I save myself a ton of airfare by shopping here! There are scarves, Buddhas, incense, handmade paper, jewelry — all sorts of wonderful trinkets that would make fantastic gifts for yourself or for someone else. Don’t miss it on your next visit to Kings Beach.
Danyell K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Saint Louis, MO
THISPLACEROCKS! I can’t believe I drove past it so many times without realizing what it was! I live just down the road, and I now I know what I’ve been missing out on. First off: gorgeous little tea garden outside. Inside, there are eclectic chairs and such scattered about, as well, if the outdoor weather isn’t so agreeable. Impressive tea selection and ceramic cups, etc. to enjoy it out of. Second: aweeeeeesome authentic knick-knacks. The owner lives in Thailand half of the year and hand-picks everything she sells in the store directly from the source, so you can trust that you are getting the real deal. Her prices are downright reasonable considering the mark-up on these things that you’ll find elsewhere, and I imagine that’s due to her hands-on approach with the whole thing. Definitely a unique, one-of-a-kind shop/teahouse…really happy to have things like this in North Lake!
Laurie T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Tahoma, CA
Very cool store & friendly owner! The store itself was a little hard to find, but once there, I felt very welcomed by the tranquil garden and pond up front. The store had an excellent selection of unique clothing and different accessories from Thailand– the best I’ve seen in any store, especially here in Tahoe. The owner was also helpful in pointing out great nearby beaches to visit. I will definitly go back and may try some tea next time.
Kristen v.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Francisco, CA
I absolutely LOVED this place! In an area where many stores house the same corny wood carved bears and such, this was a dream come true. The owner lives in Thailand for 3 months out of the year(she has a house there), and she brings back loads of lovely clothes, jewelry and other great items to sell. I bought beautiful jewelry here as well as a cool hat and top. I wish I could have spent more time in here as I would have spent loads more money. It’s definitely a step up from the touristy stores with LAKETAHOE scrawled on every piece of clothing, key chain or toothpick in sight.
Gil S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Francisco, CA
North Shore’s only asian garden free wifi tea café, or so they claim. I have no way to verify but the limited selectoin of organic bag tea served in a ceramic sake mug was just fine and the garden peaceful. The name translates to cool heart in Thai, meaning tranquility and calm. Some ecclectic gifts, bulky handmade wooden places to sit and sip, an outdoor water feature, a bench swing, and overall a quirky earnestness here.