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Premium bubble tea, coffee and desserts are now available in Huntington.
The Farmingdale-based YAAAS Tea has opened its second location — this one at 347 New York Ave. — last month.
Owner Kelly Zhou said the addition of the Huntington store is a big step for the YAAAS Tea brand, which she plans to expand further on Long Island with 20 new stores within the next three years. She said she would like to eventually expand across the country.
“Our goal is to bridge cultures and to deliver the most authentic and delicious Asian treats in the American market,” Zhou said.
As a little girl, boba tea — a drink served with “tapioca pearls” — was considered a “sweet treat” for Zhou.
Now, the business owner wants to “share the sweet moment” through YAAAS Tea’s vast variety of drinks.
Some of the more popular flavors include Brown Sugar Bobo, creme brûlée-style drinks, classic milk teas, and fresh teas.
The toppings are what really bring the drinks together, like different flavor bobas, lychees and jellies.
The proper way to drink YAAAS Tea’s drinks is to shake them 15 times, jam the straw into the lid on top and simply enjoy, Zhou said.
In comparison to the YAAAS Tea location at 118 Secatogue Ave. in Farmingdale, Zhou said the interior design elements are consistent.
The Huntington location is larger in size, which allowed for a seating area and a special bakery that features boba cake, oreo-boxed cake, red-velvet boxed cake and soft cream-boxed cake.
The “main ingredients” of a successful business for Zhou are “love, respect, kindness, and passion,” which fuels the YAAAS Tea team, she said.
Zhou added that the YAAAS Tea staff is an important “asset” and employees have a chance to become a real YAAAS Tea owner through the company’s growth plan.
This plan includes bonuses, promotions, ways of investing and gaining profit, and professional development opportunities, the owner said.
“We are a woman-led, employee-owned business that focuses on growth for each YAAAS Tea employee that shares the same vision as our brand,” Zhou said.
The feedback from the Huntington community has been overwhelmingly positive so far, Zhou added.
Building friendships, growing as a business, learning and caring for one another is what YAAAS Tea is all about, she said.
“We appreciate the friendships tied during our time in Farmingdale, as well as feeling welcomed with warmth in the Huntington community to provide our services,” said Zhou. “We value the opportunities to give back and to tie our bonds stronger.”
Scroll down to see photos of YAAAS Tea Huntington, open seven days a week.
Check out greaterfarmingdale.com for the full story of how Zhou’s business came to be.
