One of Wichita’s most popular boba shops opening a new store on Saturday with $3 special
A little more than a year ago, a new boba shop opened in Eastgate Plaza at Kellogg and Rock Road, and since then, it’s grown so popular that on weekend afternoons lines often stretch out the door.
Now, the shop is adding a second location. Wichita’s new Feng Cha opens on Saturday at 2564 N. Greenwich — in the same strip center near K-96 and Greenwich as Crumbl Cookies and Jersey Mike’s Subs.
Saturday will be the new shop’s “soft opening,” which is designed to give its employees a chance to practice their new jobs. Just like when Feng Cha opened at Kellogg and Rock, the new shop will offer $3 milk tea and fruit tea drinks from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
The new Feng Cha also will be open on Easter Sunday from noon to 8 p.m., then it will launch its regular hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
.jpg "IMG_0716 (1).jpg")
Franchisees Kevin Nguyen and his wife, Cam Ngo, say they chose the spot at K-96 and Greenwich because of its proximity to several of Wichita’s big sporting complexes. They hope that people utilizing places like Wichita Sports Forum and Stryker Sports Complex will stop in and try their drinks.
Their original plan, Nguyen said, was to open the second Wichita Feng Cha on the west side, but they couldn’t find the right space. A west-side Feng Cha is in the plans, though, Nguyen said. The couple also plans to find a spot in Derby.
The new shop has a bright and modern design that follows the theme the couple chose: “To the Moon.” A human-sized astronaut greets customers at the door as does a textured mural of the moon that Nguyen designed himself. Little astronaut figurines are also playfully incorporated into the decor.
The menu at the new Feng Cha will be identical to the one at Kellogg and Rock Road. Ngo said that people who are curious about boba but don’t know where to start should order a milk tea or fruit tea. Most of the teas are served sweet, but their sweetness level can be adjusted. Little chewy boba pearls can be added, which turn the tea drink into a snack. Fruit teas are refreshing, Ngo said, and they can be made with bits of fresh strawberries, dragon fruit and more. Many people like to add bursting boba — little boba pearls that pop in your mouth.
Feng Cha’s specialty — the decadent dirty boba — is its best seller. It features milk tea, boba pearls and a layer of cheese foam on the top that is torched to a sugary crispness just before it’s served.
Employees are happy to talk newbies through the menu and help them find something they like, Ngo said. The shop also serves coffee drinks, blended ice drinks and cheesecake desserts.
Nguyen and Ngo say they’ve been happy with their success at Kellogg and Rock Road, which they attribute to their superior products. They use fresh fruit in their fruit drinks, and their tea is imported from Japan.
Feng Cha is a chain that started in China in 2016 and has spread out to include more than 1,000 stores worldwide. In recent years, the brand expanded into the United States, where it has headquarters in Addison, Texas.
Nguyen, a local businessman, said he decided to bring the franchise to Wichita because he’s always looking for a nice place to meet clients to discuss business. He’d visited a Feng Cha and loved it and decided that it was the kind of place he’d like to have in Wichita. He also has a Feng Cha in Edmond, Oklahoma.
This story was originally published April 4, 2023 at 2:28 PM.
.jpg)