What’s Blossom Bird Bubble Tea Café all about?
We are the first dedicated bubble tea café in Marquette and most likely the whole UP. We also have a tiny bakery—all baking is done on site and fresh baked daily—and have a small selection of Japanese collectible toys available to purchase. We started with bubble tea and slowly added the rest over the year and a half we’ve been open.
Our atmosphere is very eclectic–a mix of fantasy vibes, woodsy vibes, with lot of plants, and “nerdy” vibes—lots of anime and video game figures and stuff. Some would say it’s “cottage core.” And it’s welcoming to everyone.
We relaunched our bakery section so we can finally do what we’ve wanted to from the beginning. The original oven just wasn’t cutting it for creating uniquely-shaped macarons—sometimes shapes of characters from different shows and video games—and other pastries we haven’t had before. We always try to do something different, something a little unique that sets us apart.
What led you to open the café?
My wife Kaila and I had an opportunity to follow through on this idea I had in the back of my head but had never really pulled the trigger on. We decided to take a chance when we saw the perfect spot for it had become available and follow our dreams to open it.
Neither of us had done anything like this before. Neither of us had owned or managed a business. My wife’s background is in biochemistry, mine is in warehouses and stuff.
We’ve been fans of bubble tea our whole lives. We put a lot of ourselves into our business—the decorations, collectible toys. The atmosphere is an extension of our selves.
What’s been your biggest surprise so far?
How many people resonate with the vibe of the business—people who’re into Japanese animation and video games, pop culture, nerdy stuff like that. I think it’s the first place where a lot of these people feel like they’re at home when they come into our business. It’s definitely been rewarding.
What led you to choose Blossom Bird for your business name?
We were brainstorming names. The original name we came up with was Bumble Bird Bubble Tea. Bumble Bird was my wife Kaila’s screen name on an old video game called Neo Pets that she played when she was a child. We liked it but thought it might be a little too weird and people might not resonate with it, so we compromised on Blossom Bird.
What do you and your wife enjoy most about running the cafe?
The community aspect—seeing people smile when they come in. Lots of people feel like they’re at home when they’re here, people who are fans of the same things we’re fans of—anime and videos, and stuff. We love offering a unique atmosphere to the area.
What do your customers enjoy most about it?
People say they love the atmosphere and finding all the little hidden decorations we have. You never know what you’re going to see. And definitely the bubble tea. Lots of people enjoy our drinks and baked goods.
Anything else you’d like our readers to know?
We’re not just a bubble tea café. We’re always getting a new selection of collectible toys in. It’s always fun to see what we have. There’s always something different and new.
You can check out our social media, Facebook and Instagram, for what baked goods we have and special drinks that aren’t on our regular menu.
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
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