Hung-Ren Ginseng & Herbs

I went to Hung-​Ren with a visiting Chinese medicine professor from Beijing. He prescribed me some herbs and even went with me to this herb store to check out their herbs. Let me preface by saying that, having lived in Atlanta for a long time, it’s so difficult to trust any businesses in the Chinese community. You don’t know if you’re getting the «real» herb or if your herbalist is putting in the wrong herb or some other element that could actually harm your body. I felt more confident having the professor with me because he was able to authenticate the herbs. He said Hung-Ren’s selection was ok and at the very least, better herbs are sold here than the herb stores in New York’s Chinatown.
There’s definitely a heavy smell to this store because of all the medicines. There are also chairs for you to sit and wait on your order, but I wouldn’t recommend sitting down as the store owner does keep a cat around. There’s a big fat gray cat who doesn’t bother people and mostly stays in the office part of the store, but there tends to be some cat fur on those seats. I’m just saying beware if you’re wearing dark clothes or if you’re the slightest bit allergic to pet fur. I found out I could sneeze 8 times consecutively once I left the store.
Hung-​Ren does have a Chinese medicine doctor on site only on Sundays. I’m not seeing this doctor but I hear he can do acupuncture and prescribe herbs. For me, it’s easy to communicate with the herbalist since he does speak Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese (he’s from Taiwan), and English. This is definitely my go-​to herb shop while I’m on a herbal regimen.

Herb infused aroma, clean & tidy aisles. Several customers of all kinds of decent came in for items held in engraved wooden boxes — lined up like lockers filled with sacks of beef jerky look-​a-​likes to roots. Avg $ 5.99 lb.