Tea enthusiasts in Arlington have something to celebrate during this year’s Small Business Promotion Week: a local gem known as Tea Scoop Boba Tea & Smoothie. Located on South Cooper Street, this establishment eschews mass production techniques in favor of a fresh, made-to-order approach to their beverages. Formerly a biotech professional, owner Kevin Yu dove into the boba tea business in 2021 and hasn't looked back since. According to the City of Arlington, Texas, Yu said, “My field of expertise had always been in the biotech industry,” adding insight into his bold career pivot.
Yu’s decision was partly influenced by a friend, the store's founder, who sought a trustworthy candidate to take over the beloved locale. Bringing his touch to the tea business, Yu implemented a unique brewing method. “Other places when they make a drink, they use the pre-brewed tea pots. The goal for them is to make it fast. We don’t pre-brew anything,” Yu explained, according to the City of Arlington, Texas. At Tea Scoop, customized drinks are crafted using modified espresso machines that brew tea leaves upon order.
From the Strawberry Berry to the Summer Fling, the local favorite caters to a variety of palates. “We are truly a small local business,” Yu emphasized, with aspirations to expand within the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the future, as he stated, as per the City of Arlington, Texas. Ensuring each cup is a distinct blend of quality and freshness, Tea Scoop invites customers to experience tea in a novel fashion.
During Small Business Promotion Week running from Monday to Friday, visitors can learn more about Tea Scoop and other small businesses at the One Start Development Center in City Hall. The City’s Planning and Development Service Department will honor customers with refreshments and water, dovetailing the event with their Customer Appreciation Week festivities. Further accentuating Arlington's commitment to small businesses, Canales Furniture is offering training and support, providing tools like English-speaking and citizenship classes and instructing locals on leveraging social media marketing.
