The Spice Merchant and Company

Things they have that I like: Flavored coffees which are really high quality and taste good but not too sweet. And regular coffee which is also really tasty.
Things that they have that I love: Various types of curry and other spices which are sometimes hard to find and/​or outrageously expensive to buy at the grocery store. AND they have international items that are hard (or impossible) to find elsewhere like the authentic italian lady fingers needed to make tiramisu the proper way.
And they always have free coffee samples which I enjoy.
Come explore around the store. It’s definitely a cool place to browse even if you’re not sure that you need anything from there.

I went here today with my girlfriend whilst exploring Wichita. This is a locale favorite to visit. In the depths of old town, we parked on the street and upon getting out of the car, I could smell the coffee from outside; surely a good sign. The store was filled to the brim with spices, specialized coffees and tea. I loved the way the tea section was tucked in the back. I noticed there was someone following us and watching us, presumably to see if we were taking merchandise or something which I found unpleasant. Overall it was a nice adventure and worth a stop if you are in Wichita.
Atmosphere: ⁹⁄₁₀ intoxicating aromas and sights for the eyes.
Customer service: ⁷⁄₁₀ average with no above and beyond service.
Quality of product: ⁸⁄₁₀ coffee storage was low quality, but tasted great. Did not try enough products for an accurate assessment of quality however.
Price: ⁶⁄₁₀ many products were way overpriced. Example is 12 $ for a coffee mug. That is to be expected in a specialty store however.

Poor customer service and tried talking down to me. I have been there several times and bought coffee with good service and no problems. The tea side has always had its issues though. Went there today and asked for Turkish tea. The lady began telling me there was no such thing as Turkish tea and I should try another type she recommended. I said I had bought and drink it before and she said it was just a name kinda like English tea since there is no tea fields in Turkey. I said ok and left without wanting an argument. What i didnt tell her was I’ve seen the tea fields in the Black Sea region of Turkey and did a tour of one. They produce like 7% of the Worlds tea there and the Turks always take pride in their tea and offer it to you constantly. The stockers at Dillions know more about tea than those people. I will never go back or send anyone from the base.

Have to agree. Bad customer service! Remember who pays your salary. Without customers…

I am in Wichita visiting family, and my aunt brought me here while taking me on a tour of the town. As for the basics, there is a large selection of coffee bean varieties, I couldn’t even count the many types of loose teas, and a wide variety of loose spices and herbs. Packaged coffees, teas, and spices are also available, as are many other gourmet and specialty foods from around the world, and unique/​obscure cooking tools, just to start. Considering the wide variety of products, there is an overall coherence to the products, as though the owner or purchaser carefully selects what is offered, has a vision, and a personal investment in the shop. I was pleased with the level of attention from the staff; they made themselves available, but I in no way felt rushed or pressured. This is a very unique store, has many interesting, unique, and beautiful items, for ones self, gifts, or special occasion. I LOVE it, and I will be back in before I leave town.

I liked this place from the first time I walked in. The signs are cheeky and I like the sarcastic overtones they portray. I found everything I was looking for, spice wise, and even found some locally sourced honey that I enjoy. I do not drink coffee, but the smells from the coffee area are intoxicating! I did not like so much that everything was full service and I had to bug the ladies every time I selected a new spice to try, but the were very accommodating and quick to help me out.

I wanted to like this store. It’s a local business with a wide variety of spices and teas and fun things. I’ve had maybe five interactions over the past 3 years, and I am astonished at how bad the customer service is. It doesn’t matter if I’ve called or entered the store, everyone I’ve dealt with has been surly and unpleasant. The store is cluttered and dusty. They don’t sell anything that I cannot order online for much cheaper, and since they aren’t terribly interested in retaining customers I am not too invested in returning.

I don’t care about the snarky signs, and I can forgive the tightly, poorly packed store. I am even willing to look past the somewhat bad service (although rarely have I experienced this — most of the time it has been okay). If you live in Wichita, this is the only place you need to go for coffee, tea, and spices.
The coffee, tea, and spices are mostly full service, although you can get some pre-​packaged options. Usually the store is packed, but I found that if I went earlier in the mornings I could get served pretty quickly. The guys at the coffee beans were always super helpful and had good suggestions. They also taught me a few things about my current espresso maker and gave tips on my toddy, which I was grateful for.
After moving to San Antonio, I thought I’d be able to find a similar place with comparable coffee. I was sadly mistaken. Please, Wichitans, take advantage of this glorious place! And if you like coffee, can I recommend the Kenya AA?

This home town store has been a favorite of mine since I moved to Wichita in 1999. There used to be a soup and sandwich shop that I frequented and then my company moved out of state. When I visit Wichita, I still go shop there for quirky and unique gifts, but the sandwich shop is gone-​it is now a dedicated tea area. Love the tea, but miss the ‘everything cookies!’
I recommend them for anyone who needs quality products, unique items and a more personal approach to business!

Spice Paradise! They have a wonderful selection of spices, coffees, cooking utensils, gifts, etc. Cool place to shop!

Updating my review [on 28 January 2016] to a 3 star for the time being (previously a 1 star).
I originally reviewed the Spice Merchant nearly two years ago and gave them a 1 star rating because of their terrible customer service. I’ve been back a few times since, and the customer service has improved considerably. There are still some bad apples in there, to be sure, but I’ve had decent service my past few visits. Hope they continue to work on this.
Original review:
I wouldn’t hesitate to give The Spice Merchant five stars if they had friendlier employees. Several people have mentioned rude, cold, unwelcoming customer service, and that couldn’t be more true. DAN ROBERTS from Winfield might go to The Spice Merchant for «GOOD SERVICE, A QUALITY PRODUCT, [and] FAIR PRICES,» but if that’s all I wanted I would buy everything from
! Britt Bradley was completely spot-​on when she described the employees as «off-​putting,» and they really do seem annoyed at actually having customers in their store.
I probably won’t be going back to actually buy anything. I might visit for inspiration, but I’ll do my actual purchasing from Amazon unless their employees actually start seeming like they want me shopping at their store.

Wonderful selection of spices, teas, and coffee. Store could be a little better arranged but the people are friendly. My one big gripe about this place is that the tea, while quite good, is enhanced with artificial flavors. If I am going to pay for loose leaf tea, I’d rather it be natural.

Have shopped here for green coffee beans on several occasions, and each visit was roughly the same.
When I visited the Spice Merchant for the first time, I got completely lost looking for what I wanted. Someone offered to help me after about 20 minutes of wandering. She pointed me in the direction of the green coffee and was friendly enough.
It’s getting the coffee that is a turn-​off for me. First, I wanted to ask about the source of their coffee. The guy who roasts and serves the coffee is very stand-​offish and very unpleasant — and I’m an easy guy to get along with, so this surprised me. I thought maybe he’d had a rough day, so I let it slide.
However, my next 3 visits were no different. The fact that I asked him for green coffee beans seemed like an incredible inconvenience and disservice to him.
While I still roast my own coffee and love supporting local businesses, I’ve stopped visiting the Spice Merchant. You cannot expect to get repeat business when it seems like you don’t want people around in the first place.
All in all, the Spice Merchant has great product — great coffee, tea, and other various paraphernalia — but the service is a buzzkill and reason enough to avoid going there in the future.
Visit for yourself, though, to gauge whether you get the same sort of reaction. You won’t be disappointed in their selection. You likely will be disappointed by their service.

Not sure what the big hoopla is over this place. There are so many notices and warning signs posted everywhere, I was afraid I might break one of the rules and get kicked out or something. While they do have a wide variety of spices, coffees, teas, and other seasonings, there’s no way to tell where it’s sourced or what the actual quality of the product is.
Seems like a bit of a tourist trap to me.

Stale coffee is left in open bins. Terrible owner, screams and yells at customers and employees while your standing there. He will tell you to your face he doesn’t care if you shop there or not. Shop somewhere else and save yourself the drama of this overbearing jerk.

Very cool place! Tons of different types of coffee that are roasted in house. Definitely worth checking out!

In my move to Wichita, I dumped most of my 45+ spice rack, with plans to rebuy from Penzey’s Spices online. As I was driving down Douglas, I found The Spice Merchant, which was able to provide me with everything I was looking for to refill my collection, and then some. Even their ground chile collection was something to be admired, and this is coming from someone who used to live in Texas.
Similarly, I was sullen to be leaving my old local coffee roaster, thinking I would have to revert back to my old Starbucks-​buying days to get my satisfaction with regard to whole beans. The Spice Merchant saves the day once again, with a wide variety of blends and beans that are roasted fresh every few days. I was able to pick up a pound of beans and about thirty spices for less than $ 50. You can’t beat that. The only thing I didn’t like was that everything was full service, meaning that I had to subject a poor employee to my spice splurge, but that’s a small complaint to an overall great local spice supplier.

This is my favorite local store. As soon as I pull up to the Douglas curb and step onto the street, I smell the intoxicating aroma of roasted coffee. It’s so good.
Clearly, I think their coffee is great. Before the recession, I made regular trips to the Spice Merchant for some whole beans, usually Kenya AA (my favorite). Their selection bests any local coffee retailer, just follow your nose right to the buckets of beans and ask an assistant (they’ll show up soon) to smell any that may interest you. They’ll even grind for those of you without grinders at home.
I think their prices are decent for the quality of the coffee and service of this fine local business. Most beans are available in small amounts, like ¼ lb., so you can try out more and spend less. If you live here and you like coffee, you should already know that the Spice Merchant is the best place to get it.