Bubble tea reaches Longview
Monday, August 16, 2004 8:32 AM PDT
By Howard Meharg
Printable version
E-mail this articleYou'll find it on every street corner in Teipei. It's big in large cities from New York to Vancouver, B.C.
Now, Barry and Sareth Isenhart hope that bubble tea is a hit in Longview.
The young R. A. Long High School graduates opened Fusion Bubble Tea at 1132 Washington Way about three weeks ago in the building formerly occupied by Wonderland Video games.
Bubble tea, with origins in China and Taiwan, also is called by many other names, including boba drink and pearl tea drink. It usually is a cool, sweet drink with tapioca pearls sitting on the bottom of a clear cup. It can be made with fresh fruits, milk and crushed ice to create a milk shake.
The tea drinks can include milk (coconut- or soy-based) or juices or take a form similar to a fruit smoothie.
Barry Isenhart joked, "Sareth was drinking so much bubble tea, it was cheaper to open a store."
The Longview location is their second. They have one in Vancouver, Wash. "It's grown every day -- we're so busy there," she said.
Isenhart says bubble tea began more as "a pop culture thing centered around teens and those in their twenties. Now we are getting a real mix of people who want their bubble tea instead of coffee."
They employ six workers between the two locations.
At the Washington Way location, they installed a shiny hardwood floor, soft couches, bar stools and glass-topped tables.
Fusion Bubble Tea also offers pastries, sandwiches and ice cream bon bons covered by a rice flour and then coated with powdered sugar.
The shop is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Copies Today moves to Catlin Street in West Kelso
Copies today, founded in 1992, has just moved into its third location, though it still has the same owners.
Patrick Palmer, who opened the business with a couple analog copy machines, says the business is now based in a building at 403 Catlin Street that will accommodate an all-digital world of printing.
He and his brother/partner, Hal, spent $50,000 remodeling the place, which used to house fire trucks, so they painted it fire engine red.
"Photocopy is all about quick turnaround," Palmer explained. "Because all our machines are networked, we could easily print up to 250 black and white pages per minute in this shop."
His machines include a color inkjet printer capable of printing forty-two inch posters.
Before moving July 26, the business was most recently based in the Twin City Center.
Copies Today employs five workers, two full-time.
Woodland couple opens floor-covering store
Troy Maynard, 34, has worked in the floor-covering business since high school. He and his wife, Tammy, recently decided it was time to open their own showroom.
Straight Edge Floorcovering is located at 131 Davidson St. in downtown Woodland, the fastest growing area of Cowlitz County.
The Maynards will offer sales and installation of carpet, vinyl and prefinished hardwood flooring. Troy Maynard said he will be free with advice to the do-it-yourselfer.
He said a great deal of his flooring installation experience has been in higher priced new homes. The couple hopes that his reputation will help them compete with other suppliers to the north and south, said Tammy Maynard, 37.
The couple have lived in Woodland for 10 years.
Straight Edge Floorcovering is open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and evenings and weekends by appointment. The phone number is 360-225-7550.
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