I'm disappointed to be leaving this review because I have both been a customer of this shop and a…read morevendor for the past few years. I've supplied my handmade sage bundles to the store for years and have always had a positive relationship with the person I typically work with. Unfortunately, my most recent experience was very different. A different manager placed a special order for 16 sage bundles. Because I don't keep that quantity on hand and she wanted to hand-select the bundles, I went out of my way to order additional product, assemble 25 bundles so she would have plenty to choose from, and drive to the store for the scheduled delivery. When I arrived, the person who placed the order was not there, so another employee met me. She selected the 16 bundles and repeatedly commented on how beautiful they were and how nice they smelled. We actually had quite a conversation about the scent. I was therefore surprised when, a week later, I was informed that the bundles supposedly had a "strong, unpleasant odor," that the shop was uncomfortable selling or keeping them, and that I needed to come pick them up. I was also never paid for the order. When I returned to retrieve the product, the interaction was rude and dismissive. Another employee even unnecessarily commented that the bundles smelled like "weed." Having worked with sage for years, I found this particularly surprising because the bundles smelled exactly as they normally do - like dried sage. I had not changed my suppliers or the way the product was made. To make matters worse, the bundles had been placed in plastic zip-top bags stacked on top of one another, which crushed and damaged some of them. I understand that a retailer may occasionally decide a product isn't right for them. What I found unacceptable was the way this situation was handled: a special order was requested, I spent money and time preparing it, drove a considerable distance to deliver it, the product was accepted and complimented at delivery, and then the shop refused to pay for it, mishandled the product, and required me to make another trip to retrieve it. As a small business owner, my time, materials, and inventory matter. I would have appreciated basic professionalism, communication, and respect for the fact that I was fulfilling a specific order for a business that had successfully carried my products for years. This experience was especially disappointing because of the long-standing relationship I had with the shop. I hope the management will take this as an opportunity to consider how vendors and customers are treated, particularly when someone is placing orders for products they may not be familiar with. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I would be hesitant to recommend this shop to other small business owners as a place to wholesale their products.

I stumbled upon this shop today after dining at Plums Cafe and I was beyond impressed. The interior…read moredesign is impeccable and there are so many interesting finds. I feel like this is the perfect place to come if you need a gift for someone and not sure what to get them. The selection was wild, from greeting cards, olive oil, candles, aprons, kitchen items, jewelry and so so much more! It was out of this world. Also, all the staff were so kind and helpful! Can't wait to explore the shop again soon.

They've done it again with limited edition items. I went back here again to get the 0.4 floatune…read moresky pens, and left with not only two of the 0.4 versions but with a cat-themed Delguard. I just love cats!

Mai Do is such a cozy but heavily busy Japanese stationery shop located inside a Mitsuwa; parking…read morehere is like the hunger games. On a busy Sunday afternoon, I found myself circling the parking lot for almost 30 minutes before getting lucky enough to get a tight cramp spot. The store is located to the left side of the super market. They had an assortment of pens, notebooks, and art supplies. I was able to get some goodies from here. Again, the store can be cramped, a little warm, and hectic, but you walk out with really good finds. I feel their price point is pretty reasonable, and their selection is great considering the size of the store. Staff is nice and seems helpful. Overall, cute Japanese stationery store to visit for all your stationery needs whether you're a seasoned artist or beginner. They have everything for everyone. My favorite was their journal selection, they had many good brands from Campus to Midori. I'm sure you will find something here.

Small place, but BIG options to choose from…read more Pretty cool space here in the OC to get some unique gifts for yourself or others. A good amount of stuff comes from Japan too ! The owner is cool too, nice guy to talk to Prices are what you'd expect, a little high but not impossible to afford if you choose to purchase. Especially if there's some hard to get Japanese goods there. Definitely coming back !

What a cute little place for gift shopping. This place has a great selection of just odd stuff. it…read moreis cute and clean and the service is very nice. Most of the items are from Japan and they have stuff I had not seen before. They had a little Toto lighter which I loved as I have a Toto at home (it is a toilet, made in Japan and has a washlet.) They also have stickers and tee shirts and hats, they have lots of hats. I bought one for my son in law. The prices are fair for the area. We really did love the service. It is not a place I would go to often, but it is adorable and worth a visit. We had a great time there, just looking at all the stuff. It was not at all busy when we were there and check out was super easy. So, if you are nearby stop there. It is not a must see, but it is cute.

I purchased an expensive Nambe salad bowl with wooden and silver tongs. The sales associate was…read morewonderful and wrapped it in bubble wrap since I was taking it to SF. I held the gift at my seat on the plane. When we opened it at my son's house the tongs were chipped. I immediately called the store and they said they would call manufacturer . They never called me Back. I had to call again and they said they would call back. Never did. Bottom line I should have gone to Bloomingdale's. Despite the cordial nature of the owner and his partner they didn't offer any compensation nor did they even have the courtesy to get back in touch with me. Brandon finally called once he read my two negative reviews. Almost two weeks to the day when I called him. Again, the item was defective and no recourse was offered to me. His response consisted of blaming me for carelessness in transit. Absolutely nothing true.

What a delightful little shop!!!! How cute!!! Phenomenal customer service! Shoutout to Val! She was…read moredarling! In this unique store, they have candles, room sprays, diffusers, home decor, handbags, slippers, an array of jewelry that is very exclusive, and other accessories and gifts. Although, this store is pricey, it's Newport Beach what else!?!? Need a very nice quick gift to give, this place is your go-to! Lovely selection, and insanely clean and well organized shop! Parking can be difficult! Go just before opening hours. Highly recommended! You bet, I'm coming back!!! Thanks so much! LOVED!!!!!

It's that time of the year where you are getting ready for the holidays. And it only means one…read morething...getting the cutest gifts for your favorite humans. You can choose from blind boxes to tees to plushies to kitchen and home goods, believe it or not. This store reminds me of my bedroom as a single person, packed with toys in every nook and cranny. Give yourself a good amount of time to check out all that you can. Go through the store twice, because chances are, you will miss something the first time around. I love all the fun Miffy and Monchhichi items available. And there are other popular characters like the Peanuts gang, Moomin, and the newest edition Zilly Tales created by Zillymonkey. The store is pretty well-stocked...until it sells out - worst feeling ever! Pricing is subjective. Black Friday prices were pretty cool. Anyway, you can order online too and pick up in-store. Service is super friendly. Parking is plenty. Happy shopping!

I love this place! Be prepared for expensive prices, but they have a cute variety of items you…read morecan't find at other places! I really recommend their grab bags :) They do stuff the grab bags quite a bit! I attached a video of the items I got in my grab bag! So worth it. Please do more zillymonkey:,)) The lady who owns the place is super sweet.

Pen Pals Stationery and Gift Shop is a cute Japanese-inspired stationery and gift shop located…read moreinside The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa. Recently Pen Pals Stationery and Gift Shop opened another location in Fountain Valley. [Parking]: The LAB Anti-Mall has a designated parking lot, but finding a spot can be hit-or-miss depending on what time you visit. [What to expect]: The shop is comprised of two vintage Airstreams with one Airstream focusing on stationery items (pens, Studio Ghibli-themed journals, and stickers) + greeting cards while the other focuses on plushies (including Sanrio characters), mini games, pins, greeting cards, etc. [Conclusion]: This is a really cute stationery shop to visit and definitely a worthwhile stop for stationery enthusiasts.

This store is very cute and it smells good inside. I was surprised it is very cool and not stuffy,…read moreeven on hot days. The staff is very nice and friendly. The store has a good selection of everything. We love the Miffy collections, the stickers and the plushies. The prices are very reasonable. I found the mirror photo op outside very cute and thoughtful of the owner. Many customers are so rush in and out and they totally missed this. Slow down, enjoy your time and take pictures :)

You can be in this store without feeling how fast time is passing...I was here around an hour…read morewithout even notice i was there one hour. I cant tell enough about great customer service and unique products such as books, candles, sculptures, jewelries, decors and etc. everything in this store is collected very carefully and beautifully. I cant tell enough about the positive vibes that you feel in this store. Its very relaxing to walk and see all this gorgeous collections, read the books and decide which one you should get! Value wise is acceptable! Everything is has a price tag. There is no promotion going on! They have in different pricing range and definitely in my opinion its reasonable to pay their price point. There is also a big parking lot outside of the store. I love the paintings on the glass windows so before walking and enter the door look around.

Omg I love this store so much. Anytime I work in Costa Mesa, I stop by to get some crystals sage…read moreor Palo Santo. The price point is just so great and affordable. Everything inside is designed very great, with fantastic merchandise inside. I would highly recommend this store if you enjoy a local must see store. Also the staff was very kind and helped me find the crystals I needed :)

Great spot for unique gifts! Very nice owners and helpful as well. My wife really enjoyed the…read morefollowers.

What a lovely little gem I found! Great gifts, stickers, school supplies from Japan, and…read morebeautifully dried flowers! The owner is fun and loves to chat. He worked with me because I wanted different flowers than were in the bouquets and was so kind. I love the ones I chose!! Groovy things to look at as well. I loved all the school supplies from Japan from his friends company!! I've homeschooled for 18 yrs so I'm drawn to these items. What fabulous gifts and fun place to visit!! Wishing him and his wife great success!

Such a cute little toy boutique! I stopped by last week and ended up getting the cutest sloth and…read morecat stuffed animal for my boyfriend, they're seriously adorable! The two girls who helped me were the sweetest, most lovely, and helpful. They made the whole experience even more enjoyable and were so kind and welcoming. You can really tell they care about their customers. Such a charming little shop with the sweetest vibes. I'll definitely be coming back!

We went into the store jelly hunting with our 3 little kids upon searching it up this morning in…read morehopes of a fun experience. At first all was good, when we entered there was a couple other kids looking around so we allowed our kids to take a look around as well. My older daughter was having trouble deciding so my three year old son kept tossing around a dog he had decided on. While doing that he dropped it a few times on the floor, where a worker brought that to my attention, understandable, so I placed it in my basket. Finally we had all decided on a jelly cat and my son changed his option to another one I took a look at the dog and he was still in great condition so I put it back. When we were about to pay the cashier bluntly expressed if we would purchasing the dog since my son a dropped it. It wasn't the situation that frustrated me and it was the way I was approached about it. You know what I bought them all because I didn't want to ruin my children's experience that I had hoped would be different. She then tried to be nice about the situation but honestly my husband and me felt uncomfortable. We witnessed another child tossing and licking other stuff animals and left without buying anything, yet here we were buying 3 jelly cats and then almost forced to buy a fourth getting rude customer service. Definitely will not be shopping here ever again. I think specifically her name was Alysa who was the one out of the three who made us extremely uncomfortable. One of the worst customer experience I had in my life

Small shop, but excellent selection of items from all over. They specialize in home goods and have…read moresome beautiful pottery and blankets, and also have a lot of camping type products that can be used for everyday. There always seems to be something that catches my eye, from a stainless steel espresso cup, to various pour overs, to titanium utensil sets, to a string of mini lights, to a portable smoker, to garden tools. All are high quality and priced fairly. I could go on and on.... Haven't even come close to the variety. Worth a look see.

Amazing store packed full of fun items from camping to gardening. Many items are made in Japan…read more(i.e. Snow Peak) so of the finest quality and craftsmanship. The store operators are so pleasant and welcoming! It's so refreshing to feel their gratitude and appreciation when you purchase from them. My review is for the Costa Mesa store at SOCO. For some reason, my location is tagged for NorCal.