Richmond has been the city seeing the most changes in its food scene.
And we spotted more changes coming to the bustling Union Square Shopping Centre—also known as the “bubble tea plaza” for its high concentration of bubble tea shops.
Union Square has long been a battleground for bubble tea brands, with heavy competition for customers.
But MACU Tea has emerged as the clear frontrunner in recent years.
Now, it looks like the fight has claimed another casualty.
Machi Machi, the famous Taiwanese milk tea brand loved for its pastel aesthetics and pop culture connections (thanks to its cameo in Jay Chou’s music video for Won’t Cry), has quietly closed its Richmond location.
A handwritten sign that reads “New Store Coming Soon” was spotted on the door.
This actually signals the end of Machi Machi’s presence in BC.
The Richmond outpost, which opened in April 2021, follows the closure of its Downtown Robson location earlier this year – which has since been replaced by Eggette House.
With both the Robson and Union Square stores now gone, Machi Machi has no remaining locations in British Columbia.
However, fans of the brand can still find them in other parts of Canada, including Ontario and Alberta.
Despite these closures, Union Square will remain a hot spot for bubble tea enthusiasts.
That’s because new contenders are already making their way to the plaza.
Chayan, which claims to have the best frappe and milk tea in the UK, is set to open its first Canadian location in the plaza.
Additionally, HeyTea is making its Richmond debut, taking over the space previously occupied by BlackBall.
So while Machi Machi may be leaving the arena, Richmond’s Union Square will continue to be a hub for bubble tea lovers with fresh new options soon to come.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 8368 Capstan Wy #1306, Richmond, BC V6X 4B4