There is a new edition to one of the oldest areas nearcampus.
Tea House Cafe on Chimes Street opened in the building where theGreen Duck Mexican Restaurant was located.
Owner John Tran, 25, already owns two other cafes in hisfranchise — one in Atlanta, one in Mobile, Ala., and the newest inBaton Rouge — which all serve a variety of food and drinks, Transaid.
Tran said he travels to each city often, but currently lives inBaton Rouge.
Tran said the most popular items are the panini sandwiches andbuffalo wings.
But the main attraction to the cafe is the bubble tea, Transaid.
Tran said bubble tea is similar to “smoothie tea,” containingtapioca balls at the bottom. Tran said it tastes like adessert.
“It’s a new thing, some students don’t know [about] it,” hesaid.
In addition to bubble tea, the cafe also serves imported teafrom China.
“Some are rare,” Tran said. “But some, like jasmine, you can getanywhere.”
Kevin Nguyen, a friend of Tran’s family who is helping withconstruction and decoration of the new cafe, said the tea ishealthy.
Tran said as of now, the cafe will open at 10 a.m. and close at8 p.m., but in the fall the cafe will stay open until midnight.
“If it gets busy, I’ll stay open later, until whenever[students] need” Tran said. “Sometimes students need to stay lateto study.”
Tran said he plans to install an Internet connection within thenext three weeks to attract more students.
Tran hopes to provide connections for laptops as well asrestaurant-owned computers for patrons to use.
Nguyen said the Green Duck went up for sale three months ago,and Tran bought it and closed it for renovations.
It took three months to renovate the restaurant, including freshpaint and flooring.
Nguyen said it will be cozy — not completely upscale, but “cozyfor the student.”
Tran said his other two cafes in Atlanta and Mobile do well andhopes the newest edition will do just as well.
Tran was a student of the University at one time, and he saidthat is why he decided to open a cafe on Chimes Street.
Tran said he understands what it is like to be a student on abudget, so he tries to accommodate them.
“I feel for the students,” he said.
Although the cafe just opened a week ago, Tran said he isgetting decent business. However, the cafe is not completelyfinished and supplies still are coming in.
“It’s been picking up real good,” Tran said. “For summer it’snot that bad. I’m just getting ready for fall — going to see whatmy flaws are and fix [them].”