West Texas is known for its rugged beauty and oil fields, but one thing it lacked—until recently—was the sweet, chewy delight of boba tea. Thanks to Presotea in Odessa, residents of the Permian Basin can now enjoy this popular beverage, which was once hard to find in the area.
Owner Phong Bui, a former software engineer, is the visionary behind Presotea. Originally from Nebraska, Bui relocated to Odessa to work with EOG Resources, a prominent oil and gas company. However, upon his arrival, he quickly noticed a void in the local food scene—no boba tea shops.
“When I first moved here, I realized there was no boba tea around,” Bui explained. “I wanted to create something new for the community and bring this drink to West Texas.”
Taking the plunge into entrepreneurship, Bui opened Presotea in 2020. While transitioning from software engineering to owning a tea shop was a bold move, it wasn’t without its challenges. As Bui recalled, the early days of the business were difficult, both due to the learning curve of running a business and the unfamiliarity of boba tea among the local population.
“Starting a business is tough,” he said. “We had to learn marketing, introduce people to something they’d never tried before, and refine our approach over the years.”
Presotea isn’t just another tea shop; it’s an experience. The menu is diverse, offering a wide range of options that cater to every palate. On a recent visit, I tried several popular drinks, including the Thai Milk Tea Crème, Strawberry Cloud, Flan Café Leche, Signature Fruit Tea, and Summer Fruit Tea.
Each drink had its unique charm, but the standouts were the Signature Fruit Tea and the Summer Fruit Tea. Infused with natural fruit, these teas offered a refreshing burst of flavor that was perfect for West Texas’s sweltering heat.
Read more:
