12-year-old Santa Fe girl starts her own boba tea shop
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Do you have a passion or a dream, maybe a business idea? A 12-year-old Santa Fe girl’s boba tea shop proves it’s never too late or early to start.
Like many of us when the world was shut down in 2020, Kyomi Franco-Abeyta took on a new hobby.
“I found a video clip online, telling me how to make boba from scratch and I was just excited,” Kyomi said.
Boba, also known as bubble tea, is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan back in the ’80s. Since then, its popularity has expanded to the states. The flavors, colors and combinations have expanded too.
“It was something that I really enjoyed doing. Especially because, afterward, it was like a reward to drink it. It took so long and it was really hard work,” she said.
Do you have a passion or a dream, maybe a business idea? A 12-year-old Santa Fe girl's boba tea shop proves it’s never too late or early to start.
Now, at 12 years old it’s still something Kyomi enjoys doing. So much so, in fact, that her hobby sparked an idea.
“I could eventually make my own place. And the minute I said that my dad just clicked and he got everything in order,” Kyomi recalled.
“For us, it’s better to support her now, instead of later on saying I should have, when I should have wouldn’t matter anymore,” said Jose Franco, Kyomi’s dad.
Kyomi’s parents rented a place in Santa Fe. While the paperwork says they’re the owners, they argue their daughter is the heart and brains behind it all. Mizu’s Boba Tea Spot finally opened in December, with Kyomi’s design of the space, recipes, and all.
Mizu’s is a family business through and through, including their family dog too.
“So, our dog is actually named ‘Mizu’ and that’s Japanese for ‘blue,’ so that’s why we have a blue theme going on. It’s a family business and she’s a part of our family.”
Who knows what the future holds for Mizu’s Boba Tea Spot, but one thing is for sure:
“I love my parents so much and I’m just glad that they want to carry me through this process and this journey and I’m not just gonna go through it myself,” Kyomi expressed.
Kyomi says they hope to expand to other parts of the state. In the meantime, she loves what she’s doing and hopes to inspire others to also chase after their dreams.