Bubble Tea Store in Clarksville
On this page
June 15, 2026
Bubble tea, also called boba, pairs brewed tea with milk or fruit and a chewy topping such as tapioca pearls, and a Clarksville bubble tea store lets customers taste and customize a drink rather than rely on a packaged option. In a shop, a buyer can choose the tea base, set sweetness and ice levels, pick dairy or a plant-based milk, and add toppings like classic black tapioca, brown sugar boba, popping fruit pearls, jelly, or pudding. Clarksville is Tennessee’s fifth largest city, with a population of roughly 176,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and the presence of Austin Peay State University and nearby Fort Campbell, along with steady residential growth, has supported a small but distinctive set of boba shops. The boba scene here is thinner than in Nashville or Memphis, and several of the city’s bubble tea options reflect Filipino and other Asian-American family ownership.
Clarksville shops draw on several traditions. Taiwanese-style milk tea, the original form of bubble tea, is built on black and oolong teas with milk and tapioca; Vietnamese-influenced menus often add strong iced coffee, pandan, and ube; and some shops bring Filipino flavors such as ube and leche flan into their drinks. Local shops mix these influences and frequently pair drinks with food, from Filipino snacks and hot dishes to waffles, coffee, and other cafe items. Because drinks are made to order, menus generally divide into milk teas, fruit teas, slushes and smoothies, specialty drinks such as matcha, and a list of toppings sold as add-ons, so customization is the heart of the experience.
A bubble tea store in Tennessee operates as a food service establishment, so its central regulatory obligation is a food service permit rather than a contractor or trade license. The Tennessee Department of Health Environmental Health program, working through local county health departments, permits and inspects food service establishments; in Clarksville that work is handled by the Montgomery County Health Department, which inspects food service establishments in the county and makes results available to the public. The state food service establishment permit runs on a July 1 through June 30 cycle, and the annual fee is set by seating capacity: $210 for an establishment with 50 or fewer seats and $360 for one with 51 or more seats, so most small boba shops fall in the lower tier. A shop also registers its business with the county clerk once gross receipts cross the state threshold and registers to collect sales tax. Prepared beverages sold for immediate consumption are taxable at the full combined rate, which in Montgomery County reaches 9.50% (the 7% state rate plus the local option tax).
For customers, the points that matter most are sanitation, allergens, and clear pricing. Inspection results for food service establishments in Montgomery County are public through the Montgomery County Health Department, so a buyer can review a shop’s most recent score and confirm it posts a current permit. Anyone with a dairy, soy, or nut concern should ask about milk alternatives and cross-contact, since many shops use shared equipment alongside fresh ingredients. Disputes over advertising, pricing, or gift cards fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered by the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which handles complaints about deceptive business practices. Confirming that a shop displays a current food service permit and a recent inspection score is a simple way to verify it operates within state requirements.
Top Bubble Tea Store Providers in Clarksville
1. Tita Boba
Address: 2201 Fort Campbell Boulevard, Suite 700, Clarksville, TN 37042
Phone: (931) 553-1032
Website: https://www.facebook.com/TitaBobaTn
Services: handcrafted boba tea, milk teas, classic and popping boba, slushes, Filipino food and snacks
Description: Tita Boba is a Filipino-owned bubble tea and food shop in Clarksville, co-owned by Kathreen Saballa and Debby Guillermo, that pairs handcrafted boba with Filipino cuisine. The business began in December 2021 inside Nora’s Filipino Market, owned by Saballa’s mother, where regulars called her “Tita,” the Tagalog word for aunt, which gave the shop its name. It later moved into its own storefront on Fort Campbell Boulevard. The drink menu features handcrafted boba teas in a range of flavors with classic and popping boba and slushes, including a signature ube milk tea made with sweet taro, tapioca, and leche flan. On the food side, the shop serves Filipino dishes and snacks such as egg rolls and traditional treats. The direct connection to the local Filipino community and the pairing of authentic Filipino flavors with bubble tea give Tita Boba a clear identity in Clarksville.
2. KoKo Boba Tea
Address: 2766 Wilma Rudolph Boulevard, Suite A1, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 919-5152
Website: https://www.kokobobatea.com
Services: milk teas, fruit blends, smoothies, slushies, coffee, matcha, caffeine-free refreshers, tapioca and toppings
Description: KoKo Boba Tea is a handcrafted bubble tea shop on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard in Clarksville, owned by Thao “Tammy” Ho, who developed the recipes through travel across the country and abroad. The shop opened with a grand opening in early May and builds its drinks with fresh ingredients and premium tea leaves. The menu spans milk teas, fruit blends, smoothies, slushies, coffee, matcha drinks, and caffeine-free refreshers, with flavors such as taro and mango, and it emphasizes customization so customers can adjust ice, sweetness, and toppings. The space is designed with a spacious, garden atmosphere and books available, intended for studying or socializing, and the owner actively invites customer feedback to shape the menu. The focus on handcrafted, customizable drinks in a relaxed cafe setting defines the shop.
3. The Goobs Cafe
Address: 260-B Needmore Road, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 280-6461
Website: https://www.clarksvillechamber.com/index.php?srctype=businesssearch_detail&refno=1813
Services: bubble tea, coffee and espresso, specialty and non-coffee drinks, frappes, teas, waffles, sweets
Description: The Goobs Cafe is the cafe inside the Goobs Small Business Warehouse on Needmore Road, a vendor market founded by husband-and-wife veterans Haley and Christopher Gubelman that houses roughly 70 small businesses. The name comes from a shortened, family-friendly version of the couple’s surname, Gubelman. The cafe, run by a small-business operator within the market, serves bubble tea alongside coffee and espresso, specialty and non-coffee drinks, frappes, teas, waffles, and sweets, making it a one-stop drink and snack option for visitors browsing the market’s vendors. Because the cafe sits inside a larger small-business marketplace rather than operating as a standalone boba shop, it offers a different experience from the city’s dedicated bubble tea stores, combining boba and cafe drinks with a local shopping destination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bubble Tea Stores in Clarksville
Q: What license does a bubble tea store in Clarksville need?
A bubble tea store is regulated as a food service establishment, so its main requirement is a food service permit administered through the Tennessee Department of Health Environmental Health program and the Montgomery County Health Department, which inspects establishments in the county. The state food service establishment permit runs on a July 1 through June 30 cycle, with the annual fee set by seating capacity: $210 for 50 or fewer seats and $360 for 51 or more, so most small boba shops fall in the lower tier. The shop also registers its business with the county clerk once receipts cross the state threshold and registers to collect sales tax.
Q: How much sales tax is added to a bubble tea in Clarksville?
Prepared beverages sold for immediate consumption are taxable at the full combined sales tax rate. In Montgomery County that rate is 9.50%, made up of the 7% Tennessee state sales tax plus the local option tax. The tax applies to the full drink total, including toppings, so the posted menu price is generally before tax.
Q: Does Clarksville have many bubble tea shops?
Clarksville’s bubble tea scene is smaller than those in larger Tennessee cities, with a handful of shops rather than a dense cluster. The options that do exist are distinctive, including a Filipino-owned shop that pairs boba with Filipino food, a handcrafted boba cafe with a garden-style setting, and a cafe inside a local small-business market. Several of the city’s boba spots reflect Asian-American family ownership and lean on customization and fresh ingredients.
Q: Can I customize sweetness, ice, and milk at a Clarksville boba shop?
Yes. Customization is central to the format. Most shops let customers choose a tea base, set sweetness and ice levels, swap dairy for oat, coconut, or other alternatives, and add toppings such as tapioca pearls, popping fruit pearls, jelly, or pudding. Customers with a dairy, soy, or nut allergy should ask about milk alternatives and cross-contact, since shops commonly use shared equipment.
Q: How can I check a Clarksville bubble tea shop’s health inspection score?
Inspection results for food service establishments in Montgomery County are public record through the Montgomery County Health Department, and shops are expected to post a current permit and recent inspection score on site. Reviewing the most recent result before ordering, and confirming the posted permit, is a straightforward way to assess a shop’s sanitation standing.
Q: How do I file a complaint about a Clarksville bubble tea store?
Complaints about deceptive advertising, pricing, or gift card practices can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Concerns about sanitation or food safety should go to the Montgomery County Health Department, which conducts food service inspections and can investigate a specific establishment. Keeping receipts and any advertising in question supports either type of complaint.