New bubble tea shop opening in downtown Vancouver after another one quietly closes

A coconut and bubble tea shop from Richmond is looking to test the downtown Vancouver market.

Cocobay may sound like some sunny seaside resort, but in this case, it's a drink shop that launched its first location in Richmond less than a year ago.

Now they're expanding to downtown Vancouver with a corner space at the intersection of Robson and Hamilton streets.

The space, at 290 Robson St., was left empty after Leaf Cafe closed earlier this year. A Taiwan/Japanese-inspired cafe, it too specialized in a selection of bubble teas.

While listed as a bubble tea shop online, Cocobay focuses specifically on coconut milk and water drinks, along with fresh fruit mixtures. There's also a selection of smoothies involving coconut and fruits (and ube).

Most of the drinks on Cocobay's menu are cold, but they also serve tea and coffee, along with a small selection of sweet puddings.