A long-awaited boba tea shop is finally nearing its Downtown Sacramento debut.
A commercial remodel application recently filed with the city reveals that Instea, led by Elk Grove resident Duy Nguyen, is taking over the former Best Collateral pawn shop space in a historic building at 908 J Street. The project has been in the works since the fall of 2023, when Nguyen purchased the single-story, 3,200-square-foot property for $695,000.
While Nguyen did not immediately respond to inquiries from What Now Sacramento, he previously told the Sacramento Business Journal that the new spot will be “a different boba shop than any other boba shop,” offering a high-end café experience.
Alongside a wide range of bubble tea, Instea will serve coffee and pastries, with hours expected to stretch from morning through evening.
Approved plans call for the rehabilitation of the historic storefront, including the addition of wood-framed windows, transoms with divided lites, and a paneled knee wall. Crews will also remove a dated fabric awning and aluminum security door, while preserving the building’s early 1900s-brick façade if it can be uncovered beneath layers of stucco.
Located within the Plaza Park (Cesar Chavez) Historic District, the building is recognized on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources, meaning the renovation must align with strict preservation standards. The project received city approval in April 2025 and is moving forward under those conditions.
Once it opens at an undisclosed date, Instea is set to blend modern flavors with historic charm on J Street.
