New bubble tea shop to open in downtown Troy

A brand new bubble tea shop is preparing to open in Troy this spring with unique offerings in store.

“OH! boba” is a new bubble tea, or boba tea, shop slated to open around the first week of May. In the meantime, it’s open at Troy’s Popup at Main event on Thursdays and some Saturdays through April. Follow the pop-up event’s Facebook page to stay informed about the shop’s next appearance.

Owners Jess Justice of Germantown, QQ Qiang of Centerville and Ting Shi of Miamisburg all moved from China to the U.S. at different times between 1998 and 2017, then later met and grew closer through different friends. The trio’s mission is to create a boutique-style milk tea shop that will bring people together, create personal connections, and make memories.

The tea shop’s brick and mortar will be located at 217 SE Public Square in Troy, next to Haren’s Market on Troy’s Public Square.

“We were the Boba generation,” Justice said. “The milk tea was part of our childhood, whether it was after school, on the way to a movie theater, or just strolling around the mall. We were always sipping milk tea through the oversized straws while hanging out with friends. Milk tea and street food like bubble waffles were the quintessential components of our social life.”

In recent years, several standalone bubble tea shops have started popping up across the Miami Valley, though OH! boba will take the bubble tea craze a step further with boba-inspired food options.

“We are always working on developing and testing new flavors,” Justice said. “We want a diverse and fun menu, but at the same time, we don’t want our menu to be extensively large. We want each item on the menu (to) not just (be) good but exceptional.”

The shop’s current menu includes freshly brewed tea, milk tea, fruit tea and bubble waffle — a snack made from a waffle custard flavored batter and cooked in machines with a special egg-shaped mold.

“We would say they are like a cookie and sponge cake hybrid,” Justice said. “We usually serve them wrapped with different fun fillings such as whipped cream, chocolate syrup, Oreos, fruits, and any other things you want to add to them, and of course, they are delicious to eat plain as well. They are many ways to eat them, just take a big bite or you can pull off each ‘egg’ and dip them in the toppings.”

About the Author