Penna & Co Kitchen & Giftwares - Victoria

Review of Penna, Kitchen Store – Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, Victoria B.C. When we moved to Victoria a few years ago we were attracted to Penna & Co. Kitchen and Giftwares store located in the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre. Their kitchen wares are attractive and appear to be of fine quality. Because we love to cook and to entertain we thought Penna to be a logical choice. From the outset, we, and numerous other extended family members, commented upon what seemed to be a measure of indifference toward us on the part of some Penna staff. Specifically, we did not feel welcomed and noted minimal enthusiasm when we asked about a product. The variety of the products, however, enticed us to return on multiple occasions. In recent months we purchased a set of beautiful stoneware dishes by Rosenthal. The costly line is called Junto and is made in Germany. It is warranted to be both dishwasher and microwave safe.

Unfortunately we experienced two spontaneous fractures. The first casualty occurred seconds after my husband scooped hot macaroni and cheese onto a plate and I carried it to our table to enjoy. As I was gently setting it onto the table it broke into three pieces. I reported the incident to Penna and was asked about my treatment of the plates. I felt the need to defend myself for having made an honest and legitimate claim. The clerk finally gave me a new plate saying she would replace it “this time”. I took issue with her comment and asked her to refer me to the representative for the Junto line.

 My initial conversation with the Rosenthal representative went well. She committed to report the issue to the manufacturer who subsequently reported they could not explain it and had no other such fracture reports.

 Shortly after this another plate fractured in the same way after being placed in the microwave for 30 seconds, then carried to the table where it spontaneously fractured into two parts. I reported this second incident to the representative and was told that the plate would be replaced but that this would be the last time. The rep again relied on her understanding that there were no other such reports so this would be the end of the warranty. It seemed to me that wrongdoing of some sort on my part was implied. She did suggest I not put the plates in the microwave even though Penna continues to maintain that they are microwave safe. The rep and the retailer seem to be of differing opinions on this which does not instil consumer confidence. This has been such a discouraging experience that I will definitely not add to the set. Our experience, therefore, has been that customer service and product support are lacking. We have now spent the Penna gift certificates we were holding, and have informed them that we will not shop there again and will not recommend Penna to others. Deborah Bruser, Victoria, B.C.

It was my first time visiting this store. Staff is ready to help. Good variety to pick from. Personally I'm not much of a cook so I thought the prices were a little high however a chef would most probably appreciate this store and the quality more than me.

My experience at buying a wellness mat at Penna was exceptional. They were very patient with me and accommodating in helping me get the mat that suited our kitchen best. When I finally got the mat that I wanted, only to discover that it was defective, they quickly ordered me a replacement. All of my conversations with a number of sales staff were very professional. Also with my multiple visits I noticed that they treated the other customers in the store in the same manner, regardless of the size of their purchase. I strongly recommend this store and have bought other items there because I want to support them.

I would recommend Penna and Co to anyone looking for high quality kitchen items. I visited their new location for the first time and was impressed by the great service and selection. I will definitely be coming back!

Very helpful staff. Great selection. Really enjoy shopping there.

I love this place. So many cool gadgets and the staff are really special.

This is the best place for hard to find kitchen gadgets. Their hours aren't great, check website before going

Don't be fooled by the sparse website, this is not a tiny store! A beautiful surprise to walk into. Walked in at 3 looking for a zester and stayed till close, leaving with a gorgeous sale priced ScanPan and a bunch of other goodies I wasn't looking for. Staff were very knowledgable and attentive. Will be on my retail therapy list from now on.