[Updated] Another bubble tea chain setting up shop in the East Village

One Zo, a bubble tea brand from Taiwan, is opening an outpost here on Third Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street...



And what might set One Zo apart from the other recent bubble-tea establishments to arrive in the East Village of late (here and here and here and here and here, for starters)?

Per the One Zo website:

Since the invention of bubble tea in the 1980s, it spread all over the world and became the most popular Taiwanese drink. Before One Zo was established, every bubble tea shop would only serve one type of tapioca pearl, the honey black boba, a prepackaged tapioca that can store for 8 months or longer. We wanted to break this tradition and show our creativity and passion in boba, and that was when One Zo was found.

We came up with the idea of making boba in our own store so everyone could experience how fresh boba tastes. Although it took countless trials and failure to create different boba flavors, we became the world's first bubble tea brand to make fresh boba in-store. While our boba does not have the typical long shelf life, we hope you will feel our passion and enjoy our boba.

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Updated!

The shop is now open...



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So much bubble tea! The Wall Street Journal recently explored the ongoing bubble-tea bonanza:

Bubble tea is hardly a new phenomenon. The drink traces its roots back to Taiwan in the ‘80s, according to those in the industry, and made its way to New York City at least a decade ago.

The current growth in bubble-tea shops reflects the increasing interest in Asian food and beverages, observers of the culinary scene said. As for why so many chains are coming up with new twists on the drink, it speaks to the need to differentiate in a more crowded market, said observers.

“It’s looking for that competitive edge,” said Stephen Zagor, an instructor and former dean at the Institute of Culinary Education and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.

But some wonder if the bubble will burst, so to speak, and the interest in the drink will diminish. Then again, Danielle Chang, founder of LuckyRice, a lifestyle brand that promotes Asian food events, said the same could have been said of Starbucks Corp. and the gourmet-coffee trend of decades ago.

Ms. Chang is convinced that bubble tea, in all its variety, is here to stay. “It’s a sign of Asian cuisine going mainstream,” she said.

The Alley signage arrives on Cooper Square; more bubble tea on the way

Signage is up at 68 Cooper Square (across from Cooper Union) for The Alley, marking the first NYC location for the growing Taiwanese bubble tea chain.

Cutting and pasting this next section via Eater, who first reported on the Alley's June arrival:

With the aid of social media, Alley’s Instagrammable sweet drinks and decor have attracted fervent milk tea lovers to line up for hours for a sip of tea whenever a new store opens. Chinese people coin tea shops like the Alley as the “internet celebrity tea,” meaning the tea goes viral overnight on social media, like internet celebrities.

In the upcoming New York Alley, customers can pick a drink from a menu of two dozens teas that range from bubble tea to fruit tea. “Brown sugar deerioca” — the brand’s logo is a deer head — is a signature milk-based sweet drink with no tea in it. Alley’s other popular drinks are made of fresh milk and local black or green tea. The tapioca pearls, or what the Alley calls deerioca, are made by the restaurant.

The Alley abandons artificial syrup, instead using a syrup it makes from Taiwanese brown cane sugar. All the ingredients, save for fresh fruits, will be imported from Taiwan.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Alley Tea (@thealley.usa) on May 17, 2019 at 11:00am PDT

The Alley now in soft-open bubble tea mode on Cooper Square

The Alley debuted on Sunday at 68 Cooper Square (across from Cooper Union). As previously noted, this is the first NYC location for the growing Taiwanese bubble tea chain.

After a few days of a soft opening, the Alley will be full time starting on Saturday.



As Eater previously reported on the Alley:

With the aid of social media, Alley’s Instagrammable sweet drinks and decor have attracted fervent milk tea lovers to line up for hours for a sip of tea whenever a new store opens. Chinese people coin tea shops like the Alley as the “internet celebrity tea,” meaning the tea goes viral overnight on social media, like internet celebrities.

In the upcoming New York Alley, customers can pick a drink from a menu of two dozens teas that range from bubble tea to fruit tea. “Brown sugar deerioca” — the brand’s logo is a deer head — is a signature milk-based sweet drink with no tea in it. Alley’s other popular drinks are made of fresh milk and local black or green tea. The tapioca pearls, or what the Alley calls deerioca, are made by the restaurant.

Speaking of lines, EVG reader Sheila shared this photo from Sunday... she counted about 40 people waiting to enter...

Mi Tea now serving up the cheese tea on St. Mark's Place

That Mi Tea location on 19-23 St. Mark's Place that I mentioned back on Aug. 14 is now up and running... EVG Bubble Tea District Correspondent Steven shared these photos here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue yesterday...



This is the fifth U.S. branch (there's one in Flushing) for the Hangzhou, China-based chain with 1,000 locations worldwide. Their speciality: Himalayan pink salted cheese tea drinks.

And in other bubble-tea opening news, the Möge Tee outpost is now open around the corner at 69 Cooper Square.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More bubble tea for the Bubble Tea District (aka St. Mark's Place)


[The address in June 2008]

Mi Tea currently closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place

The Mi Tea location on 19-23 St. Mark's Place has been dark in recent days.

Someone told us the sign basically says "closed for renovations" ...



Mi Tea opened here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue in October 2018. This was the fifth U.S. branch (there's one in Flushing) for the Hangzhou, China-based chain with 1,000 locations worldwide. Their speciality: Himalayan pink salted cheese tea drinks.

No word on when or if they will reopen. There's a lot of bubble tea competition in the area.

The space is also adjacent to St. Mark's Market, which closed back in the fall. These businesses have been under the doom and gloom of a sidewalk bridge for two to three years now.

Thanks to EVG Bubble Tea District Correspondent Steven for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
More bubble tea for the Bubble Tea District (aka St. Mark's Place)

Something new for 9 St. Mark's Place, but not St. Mark's Place

A new sign arrived in late February at 9 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...



The upstairs space will soon be home to Nohohon Tea Room, a bubble tea shop with a location in Toronto.

Here's more about their product via their website:

Nohohon Tea Room offers a healthier alternative flavours for bubble tea enthusiasts! Keeping true to the owner roots our green teas are imported from Japan and are steeped to the every guests’ order. Nohohon Tea Room specializes for Matcha drinks, which are hand whisked to each order ensuring maximum freshness.

Our tea is white-sugar Free and uses no artificial powders or powdered milk in the drinks. Pure sugar cane and organic agave are used as a basic sweetener. We also offers an option of sugar-free sweetener and dairy alternatives, Almond milk and Soy milk to cater to your dietary needs. We are also able to offer Vegan and Gluten-Free bubble teas ...

According to Bedford + Bowery, who first reported on Nohohon's arrival, this will make the sixth business to sell bubble tea in this block of St. Mark's Place. (And probably not the last.)

This space was previously home to the Brooklyn Dark Hemp Bar, which closed after just three months last October when the city said the cafe needed four sinks — one for soaking dishes, two others for sanitizing and rinsing dishes, and one for hand washing.

We don't know how many sinks are inside now ... at least three...



Previously on EV Grieve:
First U.S. hemp bar is now open on St. Mark's Place

[Updated] City forces the country's 1st Hemp Bar to close on St. Mark's Place

Bubbleology Tea signs a lease on 1st Avenue

As previously noted, the London-based Bubbleology Tea chain was planning to open at 120 1/2 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

In its listing of recent real-estate transactions, the Times reported yesterday that the owners of this franchise signed a seven-year lease for the space, which previously housed the International Bar.

From the Times:

London-based bubble tea franchise has signed a seven-year lease for its flagship shop to open this summer in a 750-square-foot storefront, with a backyard patio, in this five-story East Village walk-up. The shop will feature milk- and fruit-based bubble tea blends including Oreo Crush, along with alcoholic brews including Raspberry Mar-Tea-Ni.

The annual rent was listed at $105,000 — $8,750 per month.

The owners were seeking a full-liquor license for the address. However, CB3 denied their application last month, citing "insufficient public benefit ... for a business seeking to add tea-infused cocktails to its drink menu to sustain its business plan, in an area well-served with licensed businesses furnishing cocktails," per the minutes from that meeting.

It's not known at the moment if Bubbleology Tea is seeking a license directly from the State Liquor Authority for its Raspberry Mar-Tea-Ni and other boozy teas.

The latest iteration of the International Bar closed this past Thanksgiving. (Non-renewal of lease, via landlord Steve Croman.) The bar merged with its sister saloon, the Coal Yard, one block to the south between Seventh Street and Sixth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More about Bubbleology Tea, possibly coming soon to 1st Avenue

At Thirstea Café tea shop

Interview and photos by Stacie Joy

Winn O’Donnell and business partner Helen He have owned and run Thirstea Café tea shop since July of 2009 on East 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

It was one of those places that I always passed by but didn't know anything about the business. So I stopped by to meet Winn, learn a bit more about the shop and teas in general.



What prompted you to open a tea shop and cafe here?

We have always loved the East Village. We were happy to find a storefront here. We wanted to open up a cafe as tea lovers and wanted to share our sense of taste and style. We have always loved how the East Village has a lot of mom-and-pop shops. We love the vibe of all the specialty stores and wanted to create one of our own.

How have things changed on your block and in the neighborhood during that time? How do you feel about the changes?

People come and go. Last time I counted, 16 stores have changed on our block since we opened. We get a little sad when regulars move away, but many of them still come by when they visit.

There are always a lot of changes in the neighborhood. After seven years, we’re pretty used to it, and we’re happy to see how the neighborhood evolves. We know many of our customers very well, and have seen them change jobs, get married, or have kids in these past years. It’s really nice to be able to see so many familiar faces grow together with us.

And sometimes we hear unfortunate news: Several weeks ago, we lost one of our most frequent customers who lived across the street. He would come in several times a day. I didn’t see him for a day and had a weird feeling. I texted him to check up on him and didn't get a response, which wasn’t normal. I knew something was wrong, then I found out he died. That day, I cried for an hour.

Who is the typical Thirstea customer?

There isn’t one, which is what makes them all so interesting. We could write a book of stories about how many different kinds of people have been in and talked to us over the years: 90 percent of people are awesome, 8 person are tolerable and 2 percent are in a special category. Some people drink tea purely for health benefits, and others drink it just for taste. There are a lot of dimensions to tea.

We have customers of all ages and professions who have been coming here for years. We’ve had reiki practitioners, drug dealers, secret service, a lie-detection expert, a television director, a liquids mathematician, undercover police, a priest, a porn star, corporate executives, a shoe designer, an origami expert and morticians, among others.

Natasha Lyonne from “Orange Is the New Black” used to come in a lot. She’s a total New Yorker with a dry sense of humor. She would order drinks with, “Give me one of those matcha situations,” and it always cracks me up. My favorite comedy director Dave McCary used to come in also but moved away. I get most excited to meet comedians because I used to do standup and improv. We were thrilled to meet Amy Sedaris, Fred Armisen and Todd Barry in our shop.



You have a large selection of teas; how do you guide tea newbies toward selecting the appropriate one? Do you teach your customers how to prepare tea?

I try to be as helpful as I can. I show them what we have. It’s very casual ... We don’t try to be snobby and pretend we know everything about tea. We like to chit chat and find out what our customers need and match them with something they’ll enjoy. I have had tens of thousands of conversations with customers about tea; I teach and also learn from them. People have even brought me stuff from foreign countries. I love selling teas to people if I think they’ll enjoy them at home.

What is the shop’s best-selling tea/drink?

Our best-selling drink is Taro bubble tea. Another specialty at our store is that we carry lots of teas by the cup, so we sometimes make off-menu bubble teas for regulars who are into quality teas with their tapioca. With these folks, I use my old bartending skills to create one-of-a-kind bubble teas, a service that people can only get at Thirstea.

What’s next for Thirstea?

We hope to continue to do what we do best, which is to satisfy all the tea drinkers out there, one cup at a time, and to make more friends along the way. We want to make more connections with the people we serve and share more stories with each other, and ultimately build a bigger and better Thirstea community.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Matcha Cafe Wabi now open on East 4th Street

Bright ideas: A lighting shop for East 7th Street

Exploring 2 like-minded small shops on East 6th Street

Celebrating 25 years at Paul's Da Burger Joint

Nohohon Tea Room opens today on St. Mark's Place

The tea room, which got its start in Toronto, opens here in the Bubble Tea District up the stairs at 9 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Here's more about their product via their website:

Nohohon Tea Room offers a healthier alternative flavours for bubble tea enthusiasts! Keeping true to the owner roots our green teas are imported from Japan and are steeped to the every guests’ order. Nohohon Tea Room specializes for Matcha drinks, which are hand whisked to each order ensuring maximum freshness.

Our tea is white-sugar Free and uses no artificial powders or powdered milk in the drinks. Pure sugar cane and organic agave are used as a basic sweetener. We also offers an option of sugar-free sweetener and dairy alternatives, Almond milk and Soy milk to cater to your dietary needs. We are also able to offer Vegan and Gluten-Free bubble teas ...

The shop opens at 1 p.m.

This space was previously home to the Brooklyn Dark Hemp Bar, which closed after just three months last October when the city said the cafe needed four sinks — one for soaking dishes, two others for sanitizing and rinsing dishes, and one for hand washing.

Previously on EV Grieve:
First U.S. hemp bar is now open on St. Mark's Place

[Updated] City forces the country's 1st Hemp Bar to close on St. Mark's Place

Something new for 9 St. Mark's Place, but not St. Mark's Place

The incoming Bubbleology Tea now with Bubbleology Tea signage

As noted (a few times) earlier this year, the London-based Bubbleology Tea chain is opening an outpost at 120 1/2 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

The Bubbleology signage is up now on the front window (H/T William Klayer!) promising "the Delicious Science of the Bubble Tea." In a real-estate transaction from May, the Times reported that the owners of this franchise signed a seven-year lease for the space, which "will feature milk- and fruit-based bubble tea blends including Oreo Crush, along with alcoholic brews including Raspberry Mar-Tea-Ni. "

The owners were seeking a full-liquor license for the address. However, CB3 denied their application in April, citing "insufficient public benefit ... for a business seeking to add tea-infused cocktails to its drink menu to sustain its business plan, in an area well-served with licensed businesses furnishing cocktails," per the minutes from that meeting. Not sure if the owners still plan on the alcohol portion of the drinks menu.

Here's a look inside from the other morning...



The latest iteration of the International Bar closed here in November 2017. (Non-renewal of lease, via landlord Steve Croman.) The bar merged with its sister saloon, the Coal Yard, one block to the south between Seventh Street and Sixth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More about Bubbleology Tea, possibly coming soon to 1st Avenue

This is the new tenant for the NW corner of 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

If you guessed bubble tea, then you win! 

Yesterday, we noted that the long-vacant storefront — most recently Nobletree Coffee — on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place received the plywood treatment. 

A deeper dive in public records (thanks Upper West Sider!) reveals that the leasee is the Taiwan-based Xing Fu Tang, a bubble tea chain that specializes in brown sugar boba.

The bubble tea is rather plentiful already along this corridor. And last month, we reported that Gong Cha, which describes itself as "one of the most recognized bubble tea brands around the world," is opening an outpost at 27 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Photo yesterday by Steven

Vivi Bubble Tea coming to former Organic Avenue space on 3rd Avenue

Several Organic Avenue locations reopened late this past spring, as someone decided to revive the brand. (As Eater put it, OA was "being pumped full of life-restoring elixirs by a coven of benevolent kale sorcerers.")

The OA on Third Avenue at Ninth Street was not among the returning storefronts. At least for, say, bottles of Sweet Greens and to-go platters of Chikn' & Sweet Potato Waffles. Signage has arrived noting the arrival of the latest Vivi Bubble Tea franchise...



This location looks to be called the St. Mark.



Vivi now has 30 locations across the US of A.

The entire Organic Avenue juice-bar chain abruptly shut down last October. The company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.

As for bubble tea. Saint's Alp Teahouse, purportedly the first teahouse to bring bubble tea to New York City, closed nearly directly across the street last fall.

How about some more bubble tea for St. Mark's Place

Gong Cha, which describes itself as "one of the most recognized bubble tea brands around the world," is opening an outpost at 27 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

This location is now on the Gong Cha website (H/T Upper West Sider!) ... marking the ninth outpost in Manhattan for the global franchise founded in 2006 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

This block of St. Mark's has seen a variety of bubble tea come and go through the recent years... some still in business (Kung Fu Tea right across the street).... and some not (Mi Tea). 

This storefront (the one on the left) has been vacant since Lab -320° closed in late 2016 after six months of selling ice cream. The previous longtime tenant here, The Sock Man, closed in January 2016 after a reported rent hike via (now former) landlord Raphael Toledano. Sock Man owner Marty Rosen later opened a new location at 99 1/2 St. Mark's Place ... where he remains today.

Photo by Steven

More bubble tea for the Bubble Tea District (aka St. Mark's Place)

[Photos by Steven]

Signage arrived yesterday at 19-23 St. Mark's Place for Mi Tea...



This will be the fourth U.S. outpost for the Hangzhou, China-based chain with 1,000 locations worldwide. Their speciality: Himalayan pink salted cheese tea drinks.

And they'll have plenty of competition on this block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Other nearby options include Nohohon Matcha NYC, Spot Dessert Bar, Kung Fu Tea and CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice.

This storefront was previously Kulture, the tattoo-piercings-jewelry-smoke shop, which moved east several storefronts to the upper level of No. 31 in January.

Kulture arrived here in in 2011. Previously, the space was the short-lived St. Mark's Cafe, Red Mango, Quizno's and, until June 2008, the CBGB shop...

Bubbleology Tea debuts tomorrow with an Instagram Boomerang photo booth

The London-based Bubbleology Tea chain opens its EV outpost tomorrow at 120 1/2 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

As the Times noted last spring, this outpost "will feature milk- and fruit-based bubble tea blends including Oreo Crush, along with alcoholic brews including Raspberry Mar-Tea-Ni." Not to mention concoctions like bubble waffles and gelato.

Here's what is in store for tomorrow...

View this post on Instagram

GRAND OPENING: East Village, New York 🥳 Come join us between 4pm - 6pm on Saturday 2nd Feb for FREE bubble tea, an Instagram Boomerang photo booth, Bubbleology vouchers and the chance to win Beats headphones when you post your Boomerang on Instagram by 10pm the next day. Don’t miss out on being one of the first to explore our incredible new store in the heart of East Village 🤩 Join the party at: 120 ½ First Avenue New York NY 10009. See you there!

A post shared by BubbleologyUSA (@bubbleologyusa) on Jan 26, 2019 at 12:56pm PST

The latest iteration of the International Bar closed in this now-sanitized space in November 2017. (Non-renewal of lease, via landlord Steve Croman.) The bar merged with its sister saloon, the Coal Yard, down the block.

Bubbleology Tea seeking full liquor license for the former International space on 1st Avenue

There was a rumor a few weeks ago that a bubble tea shop was moving into the former International Bar space at 120 1/2 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Looks like that might actually be happening. Applicants for Bubbleology Tea (a London-based chain) are applying for a full liquor license for the address, according to the questionnaire (PDF here) on file ahead of this month's CB3-SLA committee meeting on April 16

The proposed hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (9 p.m. for the rear yard) Sunday through Thursday; until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The specs call for seven tables serving 30 people, per the paperwork.

Aside from a variety of (boozy) bubble teas, Bubbleology Tea will have a menu featuring a "variety of authentic Sweet & Savoury Toasted English crumpets, as well as assorted snacks."

Principal Ben (Haiying) Li has has been a partner in a Gong Cha bubble tea franchise out on Long Island since 2016, according to the SLA application.

The CB3-SLA meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on April 16 in the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.

The latest iteration of the International Bar closed this past Thanksgiving. (Non-renewal of lease, via landlord Steve Croman.) The bar merged with its sister saloon, the Coal Yard, one block to the south between Seventh Street and Sixth Street.

Here's your Möge Tee signage on Cooper Square

The Möge Tee signage arrived back on Friday here at 69 Cooper Square between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street... As first noted on Sept. 4, this will be the third location for the Flushing-based bubble-tea business specializing in cheese teas.

This will be the second bubble/cheese tea purveyor to open in the immediate area. Mi Tea is coming to 19-23 St. Mark's Place as reported on Aug. 14.



This space at 69 Cooper Square was previously Cafe Zaiya, the Japanese bakery-cafe that closed in the spring.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Möge Tee bringing bubble tea and other teas to Cooper Square

Saint's Alp Teahouse closes for good after today

Saint's Alp Teahouse, purportedly the first teahouse to bring bubble tea to New York City, is closing its door after service tonight on Third Avenue.

Owner Bob Chan didn't offer any reason for the closure. (Lost lease? Increased rent? Decline in business?)

Here's a note from Chan from under the "About Us" tab on the Teahouse website:

The first location opened in 1995 in Chinatown on the corner of Mott Street and Bayard Street. Back then I don't believe bubble tea was even a word in the English Dictionary. Now you can get bubble tea almost anywhere.

When foods get popular, they get commoditized. It becomes a way for many people to cash in on what's popular today. This is a double edged sword. The obvious benefit is the popularity. I am very happy that the product is getting national, even international recognition. The downside is that in many attempts to cash in, some very important aspects are taken for granted. The quality is compromised for profit margins. The experience is compromised for convenience.

This outpost of a Hong Kong-based chain opened in the East Village in 1999. They closed for a month at the beginning of the year for a renovation and menu upgrade.

East Village writer Christine Champagne told us about the closure. She had been a regular since 2002. "I come on my own a few days a week to get a break from work. It is one of those places where you can sit and think and not be bothered or you can chat with the employees if you are so inclined."

The retail strip in the base of NYU's Alumni Hall between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street is rather barren now: Four of six storefronts will sit empty. Subway was the last tenant to go. Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery closed in July 2014. Citi Habitats moved out in June 2014.

Plywood comes down to reveal Xing Fu Tang on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Workers removed the plywood yesterday from the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place ... providing a FULL reveal of the new tenant, the Taiwan-based Xing Fu Tang, a bubble tea chain specializing in brown sugar boba... (thanks to Steven for the photos!)

No word on an opening date... they are currently hiring...

As noted, bubble tea is rather plentiful already along this corridor. Gong Cha, which describes itself as "one of the most recognized bubble tea brands around the world," recently opened an outpost at 27 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Nothing has been able to stick in this corner space in recent years. Nobletree Coffee closed here in May 2019 after just five months in business. This storefront previously sat empty for three years — ever since DF Mavens closed in January 2016 ... after a Dec. 26, 2014 debut. (It took the Mavens 14 months to open the space.) Other past tenants include Eastside Bakery (.net?) and Roastown Coffee.

And the only business to last here in the past 30 years: the Gap, from 1988 to 2001.

Former bubble tea shop space for rent on 3rd Avenue

A for-rent sign arrived last week in the window at 110 Third Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street, marking the official end of One Zo. 

The bubble tea brand from Taiwan debuted here last fall... and had been open as recently as late June.

While One Zo decided to close, several other bubble tea brands continue to try the neighborhood, including the April arrival of Gong Cha on St. Mark's Place... with Xing Fu Tang coming soon to the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.