Drink Me Bubble Tea Shop To Open In Brookline's Coolidge Corner

BROOKLINE, MA — The space formerly occupied by a cigar shop in Coolidge Corner is now a bubble tea shop and bakery and opens this week.

The chef of neighboring Hops N Scotch was set to open the "Alice in Wonderland inspired" tea shop called "Drink Me" earlier this year, but got sidelined first because of renovation plans and then because of the pandemic.

Owner Mai Tran got her common victual license in early March, and then the pandemic struck.

She has been training the staff at the shop and just had a small friends and family event there this weekend.

Tran, who lives in neighboring Newton, plans to open daily at 11 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Sunday though Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. She got approval for seating for 11 people, but with the pandemic won't be using those. Sometime between March and November, she also installed a takeout window at 1298 Beacon St. to help facilitate easy contactless options for customers.

"It’s definitely not easy but it’s either lose a few months in rent or every part of my savings," she said.

This is Tran's first time as owner-operater of her own cafe, and plans to continue to work two doors down at Hops & Scotch. She studied pastries in France and has a masters in education and recently just had baby. She said choosing the spot in charming Coolidge Corner just a shop away from her other work place was an easy choice.

"I wanted to open a pastry/boba shop because it’s one of those quick and cheaper luxuries that I always enjoy," she said. "It can be a part of your daily, weekly or monthly treats that someone doesn’t have to feel guilty purchasing or feel like their breaking their bank."

On Nov. 10, the shop appeared to be nearly fully set up, with simple syrups in stock, but the food display areas were empty.

A sign out front says customers can expect "handcrafted boba, pressed juices, smoothies, healthy snacks, and modern desserts."

Although bubble tea — the name given to a variety of milk or fruit teas with chewy tapioca bubbles or "boba"at the bottom — started popping up on the West Coast in the 1990s after becoming popular in Taiwan. It spread from there. Today, according to the trade group Tea Association of the USA, some 87 percent of millennials in the US drink tea, and Drink Me is hoping to capitalize on that, with a homemade twist.

Tran told the select board in March that she plans to make the toppings for the teas herself.

The prospect of that happening, had at least one select board member enthusiastic.

"The food has markedly improved since you took over [as chef at Hops N Scotch]" Select Board Member Raul Fernandez told her in March. "I have high hopes for this space."

The bubble tea spot joins a number of other tea shops in town, including the space formerly occupied by Gen Sou En, RoyalTea down the street, and in Brookline Village PokeGarden and TBaar in St. Mary's both also serve bubble tea.

A post on Instagram appears to show at least one little person getting some cookies from the shop Tuesday:

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how .