Jade Lounge
For the 174th week of "7 QUESTION SUNDAY" we shine the spotlight on another influential individual from the PNW. Kelly and Christina are owners of Jade Lounge, a boba spot in Tacoma serving up creative flavors
4EVRGRN: Hey, JL! Tell us a little about yourselves.
JL: Hi, we’re Jade Lounge, Tacoma’s late night tea spot! We're not a regular boba shop, we're a cool boba shop. Teas steeped daily. Freshly cooked boba. Free Wi-Fi. Plus, Vietnamese Coffee…see you soon!
What is the first drink a new customer should try?
JL: Kelly - The Raveberry for sure. It's such a simple hint of fruit to a classic good Vietnamese coffee that surprises you in the best way.
Christina - Munchie Delight. My favorite milk tea is a Hokkaido Milk Tea, so I wanted to bring a new twist to a classic.
For those who haven’t tried it yet, how would you describe boba/your menu?
JL: Kelly: Our menu is new & exciting but still authentic. Teas are brewed fresh daily and our tapioca is made fresh every couple of hours - this helps enhance our traditional tea flavors yet allow us to introduce amazing combinations that the majority of Tacoma hasn't seen before!
Christina: Our menu is unique - not your average run of the mill boba shop. We curate drinks to satisfy all cravings - those who like less sweet, those who have more of a sweet tooth.
How is the PNW embracing boba?
JL: Trusting our expertise as boba enthusiasts and trying out our combinations.
What makes food culture unique in the PNW?
JL: The PNW's food culture is simple, which makes it so amazing. Other areas of the country put so many random spins on regular dishes that it changes the flavors to it. We believe that the simple dishes found in the PNW are what makes the flavors so unique and rich.
Wildest experience opening a PNW small business?
JL: The amount of self-navigation it took to open up a food business! We didn't realize how many requirements there were to the food service aspect until we got all of our construction done, where we had to make additional changes.
The most positive experience though is how much the community comes together to support us. There have been so many people we haven't seen in literally a decade, that came to try us out all due to a social media post!
Favorite PNW activity?
JL: Dock jumping at Ruston and swimming in the lake in the summertime.
Favorite local product?
JL: The Cookie at the Met Market for sure.
Learn more about Jade Lounge online https://www.jadelounge253.com/ and follow along on IG @thejadelounge_ FB https://www.facebook.com/jadelounge253