(Image: Bober Tea)
Thanks to a CHS reader for the picture and inquiry
It being Pride and with a doughnut box-colored first Seattle expansion of Voodoo Doughnuts about to open at the base of Capitol Hill, the appearance of a new pink business on North Broadway has drawn some attention.
Possibly emblematic of a changing neighborhood, possibly nothing more than a sign of the current commercial demands in the Capitol Hill real estate market, a Broadway tattoo parlor is being transformed this summer with a rare change of use into a new boba tea and, yes, doughnut joint.
Investors behind the first Pacific Northwest expansions of the now 30+ location, multi-state Bober Tea and Mochi Dough chain have lined up the 600 block Broadway E location for a new store set to open soon featuring “premium” boba teas and the sweet fusion American-style doughnuts made with Japan’s glutinous mochigome rice.
The 1,063-square-foot former Electric Traveler Tattoo space was on the market for $2,700 a month plus $750 in monthly property costs. The Bober Tea expansion required a more expensive and more involved “change of use” permitting that came together relatively quickly this year.
The Broadway food and drink economy seems to be on the upswing. New ventures like Guillotine have replaced a few older players with plans for other transitions like the coming soon Chandelier Lounge. Sometimes the recipe is staying the same like the new ownership at Corvus and Co.
Broadway’s boba scene is also robust led by originals like 10th Ave’s boba, Instagram, and bearyaki-powered Drip Tea and the addition of craft tea provider COMEBUYTEA at Broadway and Pike. Don’t Yell At Me is now resident next to Dick’s Drive-in on Broadway. A new Timeless Tea location also opened on the north end of the street. Meanwhile, you can also pick up a Korean take on milk tea at Broadway’s Cafe Haslla. Veteran Capitol Hill tea scene shops include the equally crafty Atulea on 12th Ave.
Meanwhile, Portland-based doughnut chain Voodoo’s eagerly awaited and very pink first Seattle expansion is set to open “soon” on Pine.
As for Bober, it will be also be pink and open soon at 605 Broadway E. Learn more at boberteausa.com.
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when was it that electric traveler closed. I thought that there was a mention of it here but I can’t find the post
Voodoo doughnuts is gonna struggle. That bober tea shop is very popular.
Their donuts are also pretty mid, they just stick weird crap on them. I’ll take Top Pot over Voodoo any day of the week.
Can we have more coffee shops and less tea. Some of these coffee places get packed with a line or no tables especially on weekends. I guess tea is the new fried chicken around here lol.
Seasmith just opened on Broadway and it’s a great new coffee shop! Welcome addition to the neighborhood.
Wonder how long this particular Asian food fad will last? Ramen joints were all the rage for a while, then it was Korean Fried Chicken (yum!), now Boba. Gotta give credit though – they know where their clientele live and are willing to spend the money.
As many as the clientele in the area are willing to go to, over and over. Remember the Ramen fad? And Korean fried chicken?