For a decade, Jefferson County–native Franklin Killian lived in Los Angeles, where he wrote film scripts, acted in television shows and gave very little thought to boba tea other than wondering why kids seemed to be lining up around the block to get a taste of the tapioca-laden beverage. However, as he watched it turn from niche drink to bona fide trend, he got curious, then hooked and started to seek it out both around LA and any time he’d come back to the St. Louis area to visit family. When Killian moved back to St. Louis in 2020, he was struck by how few boba shops there were and couldn’t help but feel he was meant to do something about it.