Philippi CVB Welcomes BoTai Boba, LLC To Town

The Philippi Convention and Visitors Bureau recently visited and welcomed BoTai Boba, LLC to the Philippi business district. Shown during the print presentation are from left Jeremy Drennen, Board Treasurer and Philippi City Manager representing the City on the CVB Board; Tammy Stemple, Board Secretary representing Philippi Main Street; Karen Larry, Board President, representing Adaland Mansion on the Board; Ed Larry, Board member representing BC Historical Museum and the BC Chamber of Commerce on the Board, Jason and Susanne Frame, owners of BoTai Boba, LLC.

Whether wanting a cooling drink or a warming drink, customers to Philippi’s newest business find both the drink and the ambiance in which to enjoy it. Recently, the Philippi Convention and Visitors Bureau visited and welcomed BoTai Boba, LLC to the Philippi district. Philippi’s newest business is located in the Haddix Building at 678 Mansfield Dr., Suite 105 in Philippi.

The specialty drink shop serves Boba tea, bubble tea, milk tea, fruit tea, and just tea. If a customer chooses a fruit tea made with house brewed green tea, choices include many flavors including dragonfruit, kumquat, mango, peach, and pineapple. Any of the fruit teas can become “popping boba” with the addition of one of numerous flavors including brown sugar, lemon, and strawberry. Milk teas made with house brewed black tea also include lots of flavors including mocha, banana, and watermelon.

Guests may also choose from a selection of loose teas in a variety of flavors all served hot in WV made Fiesta ware cups. Both the hot teas and the cold teas may be complemented with a homemade cupcake from Wolfe’s Homemade, a local small business kitchen.

With a cup of hot or cold tea in hand, customers may opt to sit in a comfy, over-stuffed wing back chair in the main area of the shop or retire to a sofa or chair and soft lights in “the happy place” room.

The new shop is the brain child of business owners Jason and Susanne Frame, currently of Charleston. They selected Philippi as the site of their new business for a few reasons. One is that Susanne has roots in Philippi with family still living in the area. Additionally, the couple has area property for a possible future home.

Besides the family connection, Jason and Susanne said they have seen growth over the years in the Philippi area and have watched other small towns like Philippi expand based on a growing artist community and specialty businesses. They see Philippi in this light. They believe their business is fresh and new to the area, and they expressed hope that their specialty business will invite other specialty businesses to Philippi.

Neither of the Frames is new to the business world. Susanne has owned O Susie Q for a number of years and has taken her wares to regional fairs and festivals including Philippi’s own Blue & Gray Reunion and Lurch Fest. O Susie Q is a collection of handmade goods from all over the country which Susanne adds to her own artistic creations of paintings, earrings, and other items. To this collection, Jason adds his woodworking and wood burnings specializing in wooden serving trays. All of these items are on display and for sale in the BoTai Boba shop.

Because the Frames currently are employed in the Charleston area, they travel from Charleston to Philippi weekly and open their tea shop on the weekends with hours being Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. The shop can be online at its Facebook page or by phone at 304-878-7558.

During the CVB visit to BoTai Boba, members of the CVB Board presented Jason and Susanne with a framed print of the Philippi Covered Bridge as a way of saying welcome and as a show of appreciation for the new business choosing Philippi for its site. This type of visit was begun in 2021 and since then the CVB has visited and welcomed 25 new businesses to the Philippi district.

The Philippi Convention & Visitors Bureau’s primary purpose, according to the WV law and the Philippi City Charter under which it operates, is to enhance the economic climate of Philippi by developing and promoting the tourist resources and convention attractions. The Board’s visits to local businesses have been undertaken to emphasize the importance of the businesses to the economic climate of Philippi.