While Birmingham’s boba stores may be few and far between, the sunny presence of Zoe Phothisane and Atiana Carbajal has put Teaspoon at the Summit on drink lovers’ maps.
The pair became acquainted when they lived in Montgomery together, but since working at Teaspoon, they have
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
(Left to Right) Employees Atiana Carbajal and Zoe Phothisane with the Black Sugar Assam and the Dirty Ube drinks at Teaspoon, a Boba tea shop at the Summit.
become inseparable. The energy of their friendship preserves the sweet, stress-free atmosphere of the store.
“It’s like a family. I have not had one significant bad interaction here,” Phothisane said. “We have regulars we know, and we just make their drinks when they come in.”
“We get lots of compliments on our music,” Carbajal said.
The pair expect an influx of orders throughout the holiday season, especially with the popularity of their crème brûlée foam topping. In the face of shopping crazes and increased sales at Teaspoon, Phothisane believes the relaxed atmosphere will carry over.
“I’ve learned communication goes a long way,” Phothisane said. “We have set roles and already know how to work together.”
Both members of the dynamic duo are studying marketing at UAB and run Teaspoon’s TikTok account. The videos promote a variety of flavors with humor and internet trends, welcoming both seasoned and novice boba drinkers.
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Employee Zoe Phothisane makes a Dirty Ube boba tea at Teaspoon, a boba tea place at the Summit.
