Tea'K A Sip and Beach Side Breeze at San Antonio

19 April 2025

Ever thought about starting your own small business in the province? You're not alone. A lot of people are now seeing the opportunity of building something meaningful outside the city. My sister and I have been planning to reopen our old store building and put up a new business, especially since summer is coming. I just don't want our old store building to be wasted because it was one of our late father's first investments.

My sister once mentioned a small tea shop in San Antonio. Though small, people are coming, not just because of the bubble tea and other snacks they are selling, but also because their food is more affordable compared to other snack houses in the town.

It is called Tea'K A Sip, a small tea snack house in Barangay San Antonio, where the pier for ferries going to the city is located. We kept coming to this place to ride a ferry but never had a chance to explore the coastal village. We decided to visit the tea snack house, and my main purpose was to taste the food and also ask how the owner started the business or where she franchised it.

I stumbled upon a small snack house, which seemed to be an extension of the owner's home. It has limited space and a few tables and chairs for customers placed outside with outdoor umbrellas, providing shade apart from the tree canopies.

There was nothing particularly special about the snacks because they were all typical of a snack house. What caught my attention were the prices. They are indeed more affordable compared to other snack houses in our town. I asked the owner how she started the business, she said that she didn’t franchise anything but made the flavors on her own using ingredients that are easily found in the market, and by recreating those trending online.

Her story gave me an idea of what to do if we open up a business. Franchising was my initial option, but I don't need it anymore. We can simply be creative, innovative, and resourceful.

We ordered chocolate and matcha bubble tea and a buy-one-take-one burger. Since fries were sold out, there was no food for my niece. We decided to buy her ice cream and biscuits from another store. I liked the tea because it wasn’t too sweet—which I usually don’t like.

After having our siesta and a small chit-chat, we decided to leave to visit the beachside.

Barangay San Antonio is also known for its beach and coastal views. Each time I travel via ferry, I always look out the window and watch the coastal area as the boat passes. I even yearn to swim at the beach...maybe we will one day.

But because of the recent rainy season, the water isn’t as clear as it used to be. The dry season is the best time to swim at the beach, as the water is clearer.

The little girl was more excited than anyone else. She likes the beach, and she seemed to know how to get there. Her grandmother (on her father's side) used to live in the area, so she would bring my niece to this beach. Her grandfather also lives in the area.

We let her walk along the beachside, feel the cool breeze, and pick up little things she found interesting.

At a moment, I stopped mid-walk and just watched the waves smash against the shore, and as my niece enjoyed her beachside stroll. It's the kind of time that lets me forget about other stuff in life, simply value the present time, and smile seeing my niece enjoy nature just like how I enjoy it.

In my mind, I was like, hey, the world is large, life is tough, and this moment is something to be thankful for.

Thanks for your time.

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