our story
Hello! My name is 邱雅慧 (Julia Chiu), and I immigrated with my husband 邱允良 (Liam) and two kids to the US from Taiwan in 2018 to pursue my American dream of opening my own tea house.
My story starts in the tea farm-filled countryside of 苗栗 (Miao Li), Taiwan, where I was born. Before elementary school, I already knew how to brew the perfect kettle of loose leaf tea from watching my grandparents’ daily routine. When I was 11, my parents moved to the bustling city of Taipei, where they opened and tirelessly ran The Chiu’s Cold Noodles (邱記涼麵). My siblings and I later joined them in Taipei 4 years later. They worked from the first light of dawn into the night — all while treating customers like family and delivering dishes made with love. My parents instilled in me the same values of dedication and patience they used to run their shop.
From there, my dream of starting a tea house was set into motion. Growing up in Taiwan, I have seen popularization and the evolution of bubble tea in the last three decades. My experience working in the food and service industry has provided the knowledge and inspiration to start my own business. After years of thoughtful planning, research, and countless experimental cups of boba, I decided to leave my life in Taipei behind, moving across the world to Chapel Hill, NC in search of a new life and a business opportunity and move across the world to start a new life in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. By that time, I was already 40 years old, and even my closest friends and family from home were telling me not to do it.
Still, I knew I must go. I needed to see the full realization of my decades-long dream Tea Hill. And I finally did it! I now own my own boba tea house like I always saw in my mind, and I get to do business in a lovely college town with lots and lots of loyal, friendly customers! Truly, it is my dream come true.
And now, as I bring things full circle in my life, I source tea leaves for Tea Hill from the same Miao Li (苗栗) fields I grew up in. Each ingredient we use undergoes detailed inspection to ensure the highest possible quality for the drinks we serve customers. Every cup holds a reflection of my Taiwanese roots and my tea house dreams.
I hope you join us on our journey.
With gratitude,
Julia Chiu (邱雅慧)