Tea's Company opens brick-and-mortar boba tea shop in River Park Square

Dec. 1—Tea's Company has expanded its mobile-boba tea business to a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Spokane.

Sisters Mindy and Cynthia Bach opened Tea's Company last month in River Park Square, on the second level between Polka Dot Pottery and Pendleton at 808 W. Main Ave., Suite 222.

The decision to open a retail storefront was prompted, in part, by a boost in business while operating a mobile concession trailer at farmers markets and other events earlier in the year, Mindy Bach said.

"We did the (farmers market) season in the trailer and it was beyond any expectations we had. At the end of the season, we were trying to figure out where to take the business and landed on this small space in the mall," Bach said.

Boba, which originated in Taiwan, is a tea-based drink combined with milk or fruit flavoring and poured over tapioca pearls.

Tea's Company offers a variety of milk and fruit teas with options to add tapioca pearls or jellies. The shop uses loose-leaf tea, house-made simple syrup and milk to craft drinks, Bach said.

Some of the shop's most popular drinks include Thai, original and taro milk teas. The menu also features a matcha latte, lemonade, and strawberry, passionfruit and mango green teas, among other items.

"We have a small menu," Bach said. "We brew everything and make some of the toppings using fresh ingredients."

Bach's idea for Tea's Company was sparked after moving from Oakland, California, to Spokane in 2012.

"I felt like (Spokane) was really lacking a lot of food I was used to," she said. "Boba was one of those things."

In 2018, Bach quit her job in social work and focused on building a boba tea business.

She launched Tea's Company in 2019 as a pop-up stand.

"I started as a pop-up because I didn't know if people knew what boba was here," Bach said. "It was a good experience. I got to do a couple of different farmers' markets, and joined the Greater Spokane Food Truck Association and did events around Spokane."

Earlier this year, Bach's sister, Cynthia, joined Tea's Company. The business also shifted from a pop-up stand to a concession trailer, which gained a loyal following of customers.

The most enjoyable aspect of operating Tea's Company is meeting and bonding with people over boba tea, Bach said.

"People who have been going to the (concession) truck have come to visit us and are so excited that we are there and they can find us at a regular place and time," Bach said of the River Park Square storefront.

Tea's Company is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m.- 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.