October 12, 2026
TSAOCAA Bubble Tea has opened on the second floor of the Journal Square Transportation Center, taking a spot across from the Nathan’s Famous outpost inside one of New Jersey’s busiest transit hubs. The shop is the latest addition to a growing food and beverage lineup at the property, which has added names like Wendy’s, Jollibee, Starbucks, and Emma’s in recent years as the transportation center continues its retail buildout.
Built Around the Commuter Experience
TSAOCAA’s menu leans into variety, with nine drink types on offer, including classic bubble tea, yogurt slush, fruit teas, and a non-alcoholic mojito. The shop also features a small bakery section with its own vendors and serves freshly made egg waffles, giving commuters more than just a drink to grab on their way through the station. An order kiosk and online ordering were both part of the plan from the start, built to keep lines moving during the busiest parts of the day.
Owner Derek Zheng, who first came to the United States to attend NYU in 2018 and later settled in Journal Square during the pandemic, built the concept around a gap he noticed firsthand. “Speaking as a commuter from Journal Square, I do think that there are still not enough convenient options for breakfast,” Zheng said, adding that the food and beverage mix in the area “weren’t as diversified” and that existing businesses hadn’t fully benefited from the wave of new residents moving into the neighborhood.
Zheng worked directly with the Port Authority to bring the concept into the transportation center, joining a station that handles a heavy volume of PATH riders and bus passengers every day.
Part of a Bigger Story at Journal Square
TSAOCAA’s opening fits into a much larger pattern of retail growth at the Journal Square Transportation Center over the past several years. GRID has been closely involved in the leasing activity shaping the property, helping bring in a mix of national chains and local concepts as the station continues to fill out its retail roster. A quick service, commuter focused brand like TSAOCAA is exactly the kind of tenant that thrives in a location built around daily foot traffic rather than destination shopping.
For a transportation center that sees tens of thousands of commuters pass through every day, a strong food and beverage mix on the second floor gives riders a reason to grab something on their way in or out, rather than searching elsewhere nearby.
If you are interested in retail space at Journal Square or elsewhere in Jersey City, GRID’s leasing team can help.
Contact GRID Real Estate
Bobby Antonicello Jr., Licensed Real Estate Broker
bobby@gridcre.com | O: (201) 300-6489
