Bye-bye boba:Popular Tpumps closes San Mateo locale, moving to Foster City

Su, 40, said he chose to start his boba tea business in San Mateo because it boasts one of the premier bustling downtowns along the Peninsula. Yet as the site lacks ventilation, brewing tea raises indoor summer temperatures to an almost unbearable level and customers are frequently lining out the door. Su said he’s opted to say goodbye to his startup locale and open another site in Foster City.

Su said he’ll close his San Mateo doors at the end of the month and relocate to Metro Center Plaza in mid-April.

Customers took note of Su’s customized drinks made with loose-leaf teas and freshly cooked tapioca balls. His friendly demeanor and dedication to making sure everyone leaves with a smile undoubtedly helped set his shop apart as well.

“It’s been a lot of fun. I think that’s really the key component that’s making myself, the whole team, keep going.” Su said. “We definitely want to think more positive and enjoy the fun then just working here. So a lot of teamwork and we receive a lot of support from our customers and that’s definitely helping a lot for our operation.”

Su said he wasn’t quite sure what to expect when he started his first venture into retail by opening up Tpumps in June 2011 and eventually left his career in the transportation and shipping industry.

But within a few short years, Tpumps boomed with a youthful group of followers willing to wait in long lines to enjoy a fresh sip of Su’s concoctions, allowing him to open up shops in Burlingame, San Francisco, Cupertino and most recently Los Angeles.

Despite closing his signature locale, Su said he plans to continue expanding and after Foster City, which will provide a similar about-1,100-square-foot spot, will seek a larger space where he can offer seating.

“It’s a big surprise to me, like I said, I’d never done retail business before and to see customers enjoy the product and the response, it’s overwhelming. It’s definitely a big surprise,” Su said.

When asked what sets him apart from other boba tea stores, which have sprouted around the Bay Area and downtown San Mateo in particular, Su said it’s his process and the increasingly popular ability for customers to customize their orders.

“Other stores, they don’t offer what we offer, which is freshly brewed tea from loose tea leaves, not from tea bags, not to cook the tapioca too fast, to try to make them in the quality that people enjoy more. So I don’t really think that I’m doing a lot of specialty or very unique tea beverages, but I think it’s just the quality and amount of effort that we pour into making that drink,” Su said.

And Tpumps fan agree.

Kristina Andersen, a senior at San Mateo High School, made what she called a typical boba tea run for her friends and teachers Thursday afternoon.

“I like how you can mix flavors because all of the other [shops,] it’s pretty much like mango, green tea or peach. But this is the first one I went to where you can mix flavors. And then everyone kind of started jumping on the bandwagon and then after this, [other boba tea stores] opened up,” Andersen said. “But I think this one stayed the most popular because you can still mix flavors. I think everyone’s kind of like trying to steal that idea.”

Andersen, a Foster City resident, said she’s excited Tpumps will still be close by and more accessible when she has a late-night craving.

Andersen was sure to leave a loving remark for Su and Tpumps employees by signing a large poster hanging in the downtown San Mateo locale.

Su pointed to one signature in particular saying it was sentiments like this that have kept him going.

“Thanks for making my senior year bearable,” a high school customer wrote.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

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