Blue Hand

Love love love The Blue Hand! Sometimes I step inside and just take it all in for a minute. There are jewels everywhere. Great pieces that are unusual and hard to find. Something for everyone and all price ranges. Very unique!

Love the Blue Hand. Haven’t been there for years since I moved away… and glad to see it is still there & exactly like I remember it… even the lovely woman that owns the place. So glad to see that it is still there & going strong. You can always find something you didn’t expect to find.

This shop is the perfect garage style setting that will gladly cater to the needs of your average West University hipster as well as the common international studies minor. The store is an organized mess with products imported from around the world. The prices are reasonable, and the shop girls are pretty introverted (which I love) so they won’t ride your ass around the store while you admire Indian blankets and Dia De Los Muertos jewelry boxes. My only complaints are parking (anywhere on University Blvd is a total nightmare) and the temperature. I don’t know if the insulation in the building is bad or if the store manager really takes Going Green to heart. I’m all for the environment but as someone who grew up in Houston, not running your a/​c is just not okay. Overall, this place is perfect for buying gifts for that one professor who won’t shut up about the Harvest Moon or for that one friend who thought smoking incense in junior high would lead to positive results.

Overpriced, but packed full of interesting stuff. The manager was friendly.

Agree with what others have said concerning the product in the store. It’s really cool. And well-​priced.
Regarding parking: If Blue Hand’s owners own the land in front of the store, then it’s theirs & they can pretty much do with it what they like, including not allowing you to park there unless you’re shopping their store.
But, hours: What hours? Sign on the door says Open: 10AM … Blue Hand, false advertisement’s lack of respect for your customers’ time. Came at 10:30AM on a Saturday. 10:20 on a Wednesday. Finally; YAY! It was open! At 11:00AM on another day. Just have to wait ’til they wake up. (So, it’s 11AM? Then please, change the sign!)

Mean shop girls. I posted a review a couple of months ago and it was deleted. I guess that Unilocal only keeps the good ones. That doesn’t make this a fair review if there aren’t any opposing ones. C’mon.
The parking sucks, you have to know where it is to find it. They act like they are in the Village in NYC — PUHLEASE!!! This is Houston, Tx.
It is a cluttered mess. I guess if you love an uptight, yuppy garage sale store environment for Nordstrom’s prices — enjoy!

This store is like a hidden Jewel of buried treasures…
They have an awesome selection of art from around the world and everything from post cards, to kids toys, drums, clothing, purses, Jewelry, and imports of all kinds from every spot on Earth!
They always have something new and like the other Unilocal review stated they don’t have two of anything. Everything in there is hand picked and one of a kind =)
So, if you find yourself walking around by Rice University go take a look at the wonderful world of art and goodies inside of the Blue Hand!

I feel downright privileged to be the first to review this store. I absolutely love it. It is full of all kinds of little knick knacks, novelty items, figurines, clothes, bags, religious items, jewelry, and anything else unique and distinctive enough to make you fall in love. I absolutely guarantee it, that you will find something that you feel you simply must have.
There are no two items alike in this store. The layout is rooms full of tons of litlte things spilling all over the shelves, counters, bookcases. Although you can find almost anything here, there’s a definite cultural/​eastern religious theme running through the store — lots of hindu, buddhist, native american, african tribal, etc kinds of items for sale.
When I first walked in, I felt like I couldn’t possibly open my eyes wide enough to take it all in. I thought I was just going to stop by and browse for maybe 10 minutes. An hour later, I was still looking.
The best thing about this store, though, is the storekeeper. Her name is Marlene (although I understand there are two women who work there, I am only familiar with her). After spending so long browsing, I eventually got to talking to her. She is wonderful. She has a gentle demeanor and a genuine interest in people. She will put you at ease, and help you with anything.
Everything in this store is high quality, and reasonably priced. Although the random assortment may make it seem kitschy, instead each item feels significant and distinctive. It’s a great place to find gifts, because while you are browsing, you are sure to see something that reminds you of somebody. If you are the kind of person who wants to own things that nobody else has, this is where you will find what you are looking for.