On the corner of Virginia and California, a specialty cheese store, a gluten-free smoothie shop, and a bagel place all grace the area with their presence. However, it’s RareTea Boba that steals the spotlight.
Owner Ruth Broos first moved to Cold Springs, Nevada to be closer to family. She decided that Reno “needed something different.” After first looking into possibilities for the area (another smoothie joint, original pizza, etc.) she settled on boba tea.
“You know, when I first came to Reno, I didn’t know very much about the areas,” she remembers. “I used a commercial real estate agent, and she brought me here because she was friends with the owner of the property,” Ruth says. “That’s how it worked out. Then more and more customers were coming in, and they were saying I had the best spot in town, location wise.”
RareTea is a boba franchise based out of Berkeley, California, and Ruth’s location on California Ave. is the only location in Nevada. Her location is also one of the biggest, she says.
Her 24 California Ave. location boasts an open floor plan, with board games, TV, and plenty of seating, making it a popular spot for students and families.
Even though she’s not from Reno, Ruth recognizes the importance of the community. Ruth is from, Phoenix, Arizona– a city boasting a casual 1.6 million residents– so Reno is a pretty big change. Her favorite thing about Reno? The people.
“They’re pretty cool, they’re down to earth. It’s a small town, everybody knows everybody,” she said.
Reporting by Madison Kitch for Our Town Reno