Frequenting local boba shop Tapioca House left student artist Emily Nguyen with more than a place to satisfy her boba fix, but also a home for her art business.

“(The owner, Thuc Pham) just recognized me and my roommate from going so often,” biochemistry sophomore Nguyen said. “We would make small talk and start conversations. I mentioned that I had started a shop this year and he said, ‘Well, why don’t you just sell your stuff here?’ It was kind of by chance (that) I started selling at Tapioca House.”

Nguyen started her art journey in fifth grade with pencil silhouettes. In May 2022, after years of experimenting with art mediums, Nguyen decided to make her passion a business through launching her Etsy shop, BeanMilk, where she sells enamel pins, stickers, keychains and other merchandise. Nguyen said her designs feature cartoonish, squishy and cute animals — all created with just an iPad. 

“It took me all the better part of the year to figure out where I wanted to go (with my designs), because I am primarily a traditional artist,” Nguyen said. “Trying to transition into digital art is way different.”

Nguyen met Pham after various boba runs with her roommate. Pham earned a degree in art, and after connecting with Nguyen over their shared creative backgrounds, the two struck a deal. While Nguyen first started on Etsy, once she began selling her merchandise at Tapioca House, this boba spot along Guadalupe Street became her primary source of sales.

“I was an artist myself, but unlike Emily, I never sold any of my art, I usually just gave it away,” Pham said. “I didn’t have that opportunity. I want to create an opportunity for artists, especially students.”

Pham incorporates his artistic skills around the restaurant through woodworking and building furniture for Tapioca House. In the future, Pham said he hopes art becomes a larger component of the shop with the addition of art events and artists’ pieces.

“I’m working to get the word out there and have more students come in and put their art (up),” Pham said. “I want to make more space for doing that.”

The boba shop offers a place for artists to support other artists, including Autumn Boone, a fellow creative who has bought multiple pins from Tapioca House.

“My style seems to center around cute things,” said bilingual education sophomore Boone. “Anytime I see art, I want to support (it).”

In addition to merchandise, Tapioca House features Nguyen’s handiwork on its walls in the form of a colorful cat mural. After Nguyen’s work gained traction, Nguyen helped create Tapioca House merchandise with images from the cat mural wall, with profits going straight to the boba shop itself.

“(The owners) really value hard work and dedication,” Nguyen said. “That’s why I’m trying to honor that by keeping up this relationship with them and also helping them out when they need to make products.”