Back in November 2023, we informed you that the old Hotel Foster space at 2028 E. North Ave. was participating in the federally and universally mandated program that all vacant or soon-to-be-vacant commercial spaces must participate in in the 2020s: becoming a bubble tea place.

A license application noted that a New York-based bubble tea chain, Taichi Bubble Tea, planned to open in the space in January 2024. Then…nothing. Days, weeks, and months passed. A “For Lease” sign briefly reappeared in the window. Maybe Taichi wasn’t coming to the storied East Side location? Perhaps folks looking for a bubble tea fix would have to walk around the corner (about 132 steps) to that other East Side bubble tea place?

Nope! If some new signage and a big ol’ “COMING SOON” banner are any indication, Taichi is still, well, coming soon. Bubble tea! Finally! (There will also be ramen.)

Before its bubble tea conversion, the North Avenue space was (briefly) plant-based eatery Nice Times. Before that, it was Snack/Plant Boys (also briefly). However, the space is probably best known for the businesses that came before that, namely Hotel Foster and The Globe East. Plus there were those weird Live/Lava years, right? (A planned Vegas-inspired sports bar announced for the space in early 2023 never came to fruition.)


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Matt Wild weighs between 140 and 145 pounds. He lives on Milwaukee's east side.