Labobatory Opening Second Location In Pasadena

New Labobatory location in Pasadena. | Image by @clayconcarne.

If anyone’s got milk tea flowing in their veins instead of blood, it’s Elton Keung, owner of Labobatory in San Gabriel, California by day and performing magician at exclusive club Magic Castle by night. His obsession with boba is a love story that spans about 7 years from mixing alcoholic boba drinks, creating the world’s largest boba cup at 626 Night Market and being a fixture in the local Asian American community to opening a second science and boba-themed boba shop in Pasadena.

The drinks at Labobatory are “experiments,” with unique flavors such as the InstaMango, a colorful Mango Lemonade with Butterfly Flower Pea designed to look like the Instagram logo and the Wah! So Cookie!, a Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter Milk Tea, along with classics such as Roasted Oolong Milk Tea and the Melon Bar, a honeydew melon milk tea.

The Wah! So Cookie! (top left), InstaMango (top right), Melon Bar (bottom left) and Roasted Oolong Milk Tea (bottom right). | Image by @clayconcarne.

Here’s what Keung has to say about boba, community and magic:

Congrats on your new location in Pasadena! I visited your alcoholic boba shop called Boba 7 in Downtown LA (now closed) and your first Labobatory location in San Gabriel. What's your journey with boba been like from then until now?

It’s been quite a journey from a Kickstarter campaign all the way to now opening a second store. Alcoholic Boba went from being a brand new idea in the back of a Thai restaurant in DTLA inside the speakeasy Boba 7 back in 2012 to now a concept that’s worldwide. Lately, we have been doing alcoholic boba events as pop-ups inside bars around the LA area. From pop-ups in Austin to Boston in 2020, I’m starting to take the concept to new markets to expose more people to boba cocktails and what is possible.

As for Boba Beer specifically (per your question), lately I’ve been flirting with the idea of “Labobatory Brewing Company.” My newfound love for the craft beer scene has led to partnering with Ogopogo Brewery to do boba beer at the Dumpling Festival to hosting alcoholic boba events at craft beer specialty places such as 38 Degree Ale House in Alhambra (next event: 11/27). I do have dreams to open a location (cocktail bar/brewery) that features craft Boozy Boba in the future.

Tell us more about the new location. You have really cool murals on the walls based on the themes of boba and science to match your "science experiment" concept! What are the details of your grand opening?

The new location is in Pasadena (165 S De Lacey Ave. #1049, Pasadena, CA 91105) and was something we’ve been meaning to build. It’s a much bigger and cooler hangout spot for people - we can really host events, get people together, and build a community here. The Grand Opening of the Pasadena location is on Saturday, 11/23 from 11am to 11pm.

The mural artist Sandy Nguyen (@makingmirrors.ai) began working with us in October. Through countless days and nights working on a ladder, she drew an amazing mural that really brings this space to life. She also put a world map on the other side of the store for us to put our Labobatory around the world collection up.

Elton Keung mixing a boba drink at Labobatory Pasadena. | Image by @clayconcarne.

You're a huge community fixture at Asian American events. I've bumped into you at many events such as serving boba at TAP-LA (Taiwanese American Professionals in Los Angeles) and more recently as a speaker about entrepreneurship at the ACN (Asian Creative Network): Beyond Boba panel. How often do you attend events?

Growing up in Hong Kong during my adolescent years and then by Atlantic City, New Jersey for my preteen years, and finally San Marino, California for my teenage years, my Asian American experience is a huge part of my identity. I attend these Asian American events whenever my schedule permits. I’m always looking for the community to grow in whatever way possible. By showing up to provide boba catering, to perform magic, or just to socialize/have fun, I feel a sense of greater purpose. The community also contributes back so they can grow with us throughout - making the process, the journey more enjoyable.

Crafting a drink using real matcha with a mixing bowl and whisk at Labobatory Pasadena. | Image by @clayconcarne.

I remember Labobatory was a vendor at during one of the early years of 626 Night Market! Last summer you also had a booth called Subtle Asian Boba with various Asian-themed drinks like White Rabbit milk tea and performed at several events as a magician since you also perform magic at Magic Castle. How did that go?

Back in 2013, I won a contest called the “Walk the Talk” competition, which gave me an opportunity to sell boba drinks at 626 Night Market for the first time. That same summer, we collaborated with 626 Night Market to make the world’s largest boba cup. That summer selling boba at 626 Night Market was the most fun I’ve had running around the racetrack like a crazy person slinging boba.

Fast forward to 2019: in lieu of the popular Facebook meme-sharing group Subtle Asian Traits, we decided to do one weekend of “Subtle Asian Boba” just for fun selling White Rabbit Milk, Pei Pa Koa Green Tea, Sea Salt Ice Cream, etc. It was a blast from the past for me, being able to relive some of the craziness from the past but also comforting to see how far we’ve evolved since those days.

Elton Keung performing magic at 626 Night Market. | Image by @clayconcarne.

Any other future plans with Labobatory or magic?

As things stabilize in my boba career, my personal magic career (@elton) is also important to me. 626 Night Market gave me a spot to perform magic to people walking by which is quite exciting. It’s a safe environment to “work the streets” in a place that I have a long history with and comfortable in. With the second Labobatory store ongoing, it will be some time before I can refocus time and energy on the art of magic. Except we are already hosting the store’s first Magic Jam this Thursday, 11/21 at 8pm with magician and America’s Got Talent winner Shin Lim (@ShinLimMagic).

Written by Holly Nguyen (@tableflipemoji), PR & Marketing Manager at 626 Night Market.