Gong cha, the world’s premier bubble tea brand with nearly 1,650 international locations, is opening four new locations in Chicagoland.
Although franchisees own most U.S. locations, these four new stores will be the first corporate-owned locations in the country. The first location, opening in April 2022, is coming to Naperville, next to the H Mart at 1295 E. Odgen Ave. The second location is coming to Mid-North District at 2233 N. Lincoln Ave. Then, a new location will move across from Loyola University Chicago, at 1139 W. Sheridan Rd. Finally, a fourth location is coming to the University Center of Chicago, located at 525 S. State St. All locations will open by the end of Summer 2022.
To facilitate this expansion, Gong cha has hired seasoned hospitality professional John Malesh as Director of Operations. Malesh brings more than 25 years of experience working in the fast-casual segment with esteemed companies, including Yum Brands and Dunkin’ Brands, where he spent most of his career. Malesh and the Gong cha team will work closely with leading commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield on identifying and securing prime locations for these new stores.
“We look forward to opening Gong cha’s first corporate-owned stores here in the U.S.,” says Malesh in a press release. “We believe in the strength and global appeal of this brand, as well as the popularity of bubble tea in general, and are excited to invest in Gong cha’s growth in this target market before extending the opportunity to our franchisees.”
