Vol. 6 [Texas News] Boba Place, Coco's Cafe on Guadalupe St Closes

The closure:

• Coco's Cafe, widely regarded as Austin's first boba tea shop, will shut down its store on Guadalupe St. on May 10 after more than 25 years in operation. (Chron, culturemap austin)
• The North Austin location at 8557 Research Blvd. will remain open. (Chron, culturemap austin)

About the owner and the place:

• Founder Joyce Yang is a UT alumna who opened the cafe as a way to give back to the community where she grew up. (Chron, culturemap austin)
• Rooted in Taiwanese heritage, the spot became a gathering place for students, families, and multiple generations of the UT community over the decades. (Chron)
• The menu features boba drinks alongside Taiwanese comfort food staples including scallion pancakes and spicy beef noodle soup. (culturemap austin)

Why it's closing:

• Yang cited shifting post-pandemic habits as a key factor — fewer students are heading out casually, and a larger share of dining has moved to delivery. (Chron)
• The Guadalupe Street location has become increasingly difficult to navigate for delivery access and parking, making it hard to keep pace with those changes. (Chron)

Community response:

• The announcement drew an outpouring of reaction on social media, with longtime patrons describing the cafe as a place tied to childhood memories and a rare space where Asian Austinites felt a sense of belonging. (Chron)

(Sources: Chron ; Culturemap Austin)