A new boba eatery called Boba Tea House is making its debut in St. Augustine, located at 7458 US-1, Site 103.
The new boba shop will move into The Shoppes at Palencia Common, according to a plan review application from the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation. Owner Jesse Tran tells What Now Jacksonville that he hopes to open the new eatery sometime in early September 2023. The Publix-anchored shopping center features an array of businesses, such as Great Clips and China King. Tran declined to comment on whether or not he plans to expand beyond this location.
While additional details regarding this new business are limited, customers can expect an array of bubble tea drinks with different boba options. Most boba shops have a few pastries available, but exactly what will be offered at Boba Tea House is unclear. The new boba shop will move into a perfect area with no immediate competition. The next closest boba option is either Beary Boba in St. Johns or Cool Nate’s Ice Cream & Bubble Tea in St. Augustine. Boba Tea House will surely serve as the go-to spot for boba for nearby residents, sitting in the middle of an 18-mile stretch between the two existing boba shops.
Boba tea is a fast-growing treat that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. When the drink made its way to the United States in the following decade, it slowly expanded throughout the country. Now there are several big-name chain boba tea shops everywhere. In Jacksonville, brands such as Kung Fu Tea and Treata Tea Shoppe have made the drink even more popular. While chains are slowly planning on more locations, new concepts, such as Boba Tea House, are still hoping to squeeze their way into the market before it takes really off.
