Student taps into bubble tea market by opening authentic café downtown

Cody But moved to Binghamton for college and soon noticed nothing in the area tasted quite like home.

But was born and raised in Flushing, Queens, to parents who originally emigrated from Hong Kong. He grew up on Asian-inspired dishes and always sampled new foods across city neighborhoods. And with the large population of Asian students at Binghamton University, But felt there was an untapped market hiding in plain sight.

Novel Tea, on Hawley Street in downtown Binghamton, is the kind of place But was longing for before he decided to start his own business. It’s open afternoons and evenings, crafting unique bubble tea and serving authentic Asian treats.

“I wanted to do something other than school,” said But, a School of Management senior majoring in business administration with concentrations in finance and management information systems. “I’m so grateful that I pursued this opportunity because it has taught me so much that I would not have been able to learn anywhere else.”

But joked that choosing a name was one of the hardest parts of opening Novel Tea.

Finding the right people was not.

He co-founded the café with his brother, Alton, who graduated from Binghamton in 2012. His parents, who live in New York City, also make regular trips upstate to help with business operations.

But believes he can whet appetites in Binghamton by switching things up and sticking to quality ingredients. He’s come up with his own creations for the café, such as seaweed fries with spicy mayo, and egg waffles with Nutella, a popular Hong Kong street dish. He also borrows ideas from his mother’s recipes.

“Quality is the most important thing to me. We only distribute the best products to our customers,” he said.

While But started the restaurant looking for culinary comfort and nostalgia, he thinks it will entice people who aren’t as familiar with Asian food and drink.

“I want to break that barrier between people’s taste and what they’re used to and allow them to try new things,” he said. And he doesn’t mean just college students.

“I also cater to a lot of Binghamton locals, and it’s great. A lot of families are coming in now, and the kids naturally like the sweet drinks,” he said.

But discovered Binghamton’s thriving network of entrepreneurs after opening Novel Tea.

“I firmly believe that helping out Binghamton as a city is very important. It’s great to talk to a lot of people who are a part of Binghamton businesses and collaborate,” he said.

As a freshman, But lived in Dickinson’s Entrepreneurship Living Community, a unique residential-learning environment in which students work with University faculty and staff to attain the skills and the wherewithal to pursue their own ventures.

“Everyone around me had the same mindset to start their own businesses, and they helped push me to start Novel Tea in college,” he said.

But has accepted an offer with KPMG in its risk advisory group after graduation and plans to hire managers to oversee the café while he’s working in New York City.

“I plan on coming up on weekends, though, to ensure that everything is running smoothly,” he said.