Richmond already has a bubble tea shop on what feels like every block, but a new arrival is about to give away the one thing most of them charge extra for.
DollarBOBA, a self-serve boba shop, is soft opening in Richmond’s Broadmoor Village plaza on June 8, and its whole pitch is unlimited free toppings.
It is moving into the former SunTea unit, joining Gami Sushi, FreshCo, Hong Kong Flavor and, yes, an existing CoCo in the same plaza.
Instead of a fixed menu where pearls, jelly or pudding cost a dollar each, the shop runs on a build-your-own model.
You pick a tea base or smoothie, then load up on as many toppings as you want, from pearls and jelly to pudding and popping boba, at no extra cost.
The team bills it as Canada’s first unlimited free topping self-serve boba place, and it looks like the first to run the format in Richmond.
The idea came from a simple frustration.
“We were inspired by how much people love boba, but also noticed that many drinks can feel expensive or overly complicated,” said owner and founder Nathan to Noms Magazine.
The brand’s slogan sums up the goal: every boba for everyone.
Pricing is built to match that everyday positioning.
During the soft opening, everything is 20% off, which brings a regular drink to $3.19, a large to $3.99 and a grilled sausage to $1.99.
Soft-serve ice cream is listed as coming soon.
Richmond was a deliberate pick.
Nathan said the neighbourhood’s mix of students, families and people who already love Asian drinks and snacks made it the natural place to launch a self-serve boba concept.
For first-time customers, the founder says the hope is that the experience feels less like a transaction and more like play.
“They can choose their drink, add the toppings they like, and enjoy boba their own way,” Nathan said.
The soft opening runs June 8 from 12 PM to 10 PM at the No. 3 Road location.
DollarBOBA joins a wave of other food spots on the way to Richmond, including Dimsum Caddy, Roastory, and CK Tea C.
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Address: 10111 No. 3 Road #130, Richmond, BC V7A 1W6