BY JOCELYN ZHOU ’22
On Thursday, Oct. 17, bubble tea fans waiting for the PVTA expressed excitement over ViVi Bubble Tea, the new shop in Amherst.
“I am a huge fan of bubble tea and this series is my favorite. I love milk tea topped with the cream float. If you stir it up, [you’ll love it],” Xu said.
Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Zhou ’22
According to QUARTZ, bubble tea was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s. The hugely popular drink involves milk tea (usually iced) mixed with fillings such as tapioca pearls or grass jelly, sipped through a fat straw. The big players in the bubble tea market already have a presence internationally, as well as in the U.S.
Since 2007, ViVi Bubble Tea brought Taiwanese bubble tea to America. With extensive customer support, the first store in New York expanded into a chain of over 70 branches across America. ViVi Bubble Tea opened in Amherst in April 2019. The menu lists various categories of milk and fruit tea, including their Taro/Oreo crème brûlée series, the Flaming Brown sugar series, passionfruit QQ, ViVi signature fruit tea, ViVi bubble milk tea and Japanese matcha milk tea.
In Amherst, ViVi Bubble Tea attracts fans with their varieties of milk tea. “
Most local people like ViVi drinks because there are so many different kinds of drinks that people can choose. People always love to try different kinds of tea, and we provide both quality and the best service,” said Aaryn Li, the owner of the bubble tea shop.
Eunice Chen ’22 went to buy ViVi bubble milk tea after classes and decided to have a seat in the shop.
“I [have] a class-free day tomorrow. It’s nice to have a rest here, enjoy bubble tea and chat with my friends,” Chen said.
ViVi Bubble Tea provides a space for students and local residents to study and work.
“Most students come afternoon and night time,” Li said. “Usually they take out [their] laptops and study while we have the quiet music on [so they] can focus.”
Meanwhile, ViVi Bubble Tea is a social site for friends, complete with shop-provided games.
“The shop sometimes plays good K-pop music. I love it. The environment is good here,” Xu said.
“I have to wait for [the] PVTA to come back to school, so it’s better to stay here for a while,” Xu said. “My friends and I love playing games [like] Monopoly. It’s really fun,” Xu said.