If you’re in the middle of a busy day, there’s a new option for a midday caffeine boost: Cuppa House Coffee & Tea.
Located just off 11th Avenue and Francis Street, one of Longmont’s newest small businesses offers more than just lattes, coffee, and blended drinks. It specializes in Boba and milk teas, which are not always easy to find.
The shop opened the last week of October and, so far, it has become something of a destination stop.
Lan Nguyen, who goes by Katie, said, “business has been fairly good. I already have people who come back daily for coffee and daily for boba tea.”
Those regulars have quickly begun to include Longmont High School students who walk across the street from campus to the shop. Cody Ervin recently stopped by at lunch and brought some friends who hadn’t been in yet.
“This is my second time coming here in two days. I love boba tea,” she said. “I’m really excited because the closest other shop is on Main Street, and it’s a lot to drive down there all the time from school. This is right nearby.”
Inside the shop, cozy and humorous signs on the walls invite everyone to have a nice time while enjoying the spacious location and efficient service.
Customers wait for their orders at Cuppa House Coffee & Tea.(Photo by Deborah Cameron)“I’ve been working in Longmont as a nail tech for about three years now, and I’ve fallen in love with the area. Boba tea is a new trend for younger people. I wanted to bring it here,” she said.
For Nguyen, the business is more than just a way to pay bills. She is building it with her son, Richardson Dam, who is graduating in May from the University of Colorado Denver.
“It’s like a graduation present for him. That’s what he wants to do,” she said.
Although she was going to wait until after Dam’s graduation to get started, COVID-19 changed her plans. With the nail salon closed, Nguyen had a lot of free time and took online courses in Boba tea making from a school in Vietnam. Then she practiced what she’d learned and developed her recipes.
Nguyen found the shop space several months earlier than planned, but she knew the chance to have a shop across from the high school wasn’t something to pass up. She signed the lease in mid-June and, after that, things moved fast. At this point, there hasn’t been time for much marketing or even for completing the website. The business relies on Facebook, Instagram and word of mouth.
Marketing will develop over time, along with the shop’s customer base, as Dam is able to spend more time there once his studies are finished. He said he is excited about what he’ll bring to the business and about the future.
“We’ll do things with the community like fundraising activities and connect more with the high school. We’ll also play with seasonal menu offerings and specials. We’ll have fun with it,” he said.
Cuppa House Coffee & Tea opened the last week of October 2020.(Photo by Deborah Cameron)
