Meet Cheryl Lam | Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheryl Lam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl, how do you think about risk?
In life, we take all sorts of risks. Even more so when deciding to start your own business. The scary feeling of waking up every morning, not knowing if we will make enough to stay afloat and being able to cover all the expenses. Not having a stable income like a 9-5. However, it doesn’t mean the risk(s) that we’re taking isn’t calculated.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Hi! I am the owner of Tobi’s Tea located in Lynnwood, WA (north of Seattle). I decided to name the business after my Yorkie (Yorkshire terrier) because who doesn’t like dogs and boba?

I’ve curated a menu that lets you enjoy a cup of boba without the guilty pleasure. We use fresh organic products and offer plant based milk options (no substitution cost) as well.

I wanted to create something that not only represents my culture (Chinese-Vietnamese American) but to showcase the rest of Asia. Here’s a couple of drinks from our menu:

Ube Latte: ube paste from the Philippines.

Strawberry Matcha Latte: matcha powder from Uji, Japan

It’s been a tough journey. The challenges of starting this business is like taking a ride on the X2 rollercoaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain due to covid and many unforeseen circumstances. It’s all a learning curve. Even with being in the industry for over a decade, things are constantly changing. One word: PIVOT. Learning how and when to pivot your business is the biggest lesson I’ve acquired throughout the years.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Welcome to Seattle! I’ve moved here a year ago and there’s still so much to explore! We would start the day brunchin’ in the east side at Semicolon Cafe grabbing one of their many delectable brioche sandwich along with a latte. Then it’s time to walk off the food at Pike’s Place Market while picking up a beautiful bouquet of flowers at one of the many stands. Make room for some clam chowder from Pike Place Chowder! Then we’ll head up north to Tobi’s Tea for a mid day pick me up! What would a trip to Seattle be without catching a Mariners game? Mhm must get the garlic fries! There’s so many places for dinner but of course I have to take them to Rondo for izakaya.

Places to visit: Space Needle, Alki Beach, Olympic sculpture park

Things to do: water activities in Lake Washington, bars/nightlife in Capitol Hill, hiking, Starbucks Reserve!

Places to eat: The Dolar Shop (hotpot), Spark Pizza, Hello Em, Tavolàta, Niku Niku

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
No doubt my biggest supporters are my family, friends, and my life partner. Through the hard days, they provided the pep talk that I need. Without them, I wouldn’t be here today pursuing what I love to do. Thank you mom and dad for for tough love that I never knew I needed. Biggest shout out to my life partner, Tony. Thank you for being by my side and a shoulder to lean on when I wanted to give up. I am so grateful for each and every one of you.

Website: www.tobistea.com

Instagram: Tobistea