Rob and Lisa Fogarty open Magnetic Island’s first bubble tea shop

Magnetic Island’s first bubble tea shop will be zero waste, use locally sourced fruit and create a fun space for kid entrepreneurs — including a pony on the official launch day. See when.

Rob and Lisa Fogarty set to open Magnetic Island's first Bubble Tea business.

An entrepreneurial couple has opened Magnetic Island’s first bubble tea business.

Rob and Lisa Fogarty spent four weeks converting their office into a tea shop in Arcadia after meeting a local chef, Phil James and being introduced to his handmade, natural syrups.

From there, an idea was birthed to create preservative-free, naturally fruity bubble tea that was good for people and the planet.

“When we think of community it’s not just people, it’s our island too,” Mrs Fogarty said claiming the tea will be zero waste.

According to Mr and Mrs Fogarty, the loose-leaf tea is brewed for 12-24 hours and is made as a concentrate, eliminating tea bag waste, lasting longer and reducing the amount of tea poured down the drain.

Rob and Lisa Fogarty to open Magnetic Island's first bubble tea business on April 30.

The fruit is sourced locally from growers on the island and supplied daily.

With no set menu in sight, customers can find their perfect flavour when they choose between black or green tea and a variety of milks and natural syrups including lychee, mango and coconut.

@tsvbulletin Ever wondered how to make bubble tea? 👀🧋 Come with me to Magnetic Island’s first bubble tea shop. It will be zero waste, use locally sourced fruit and will create a fun space for kid entrepreneurs. There’s even going to be a unicorn (ahem, pony) on the official launch day! 🦄 #townsville#magneticisland#bubbletea#entrapreneur#yunbenun#foodtok#bobatea♬ original sound - Townsville Bulletin

The shop will also stock keep cups with the incentive of receiving the fifth bubble tea purchase for free.

Lisa Fogarty is a success strategist, CEO of the Performance Circle and co-founder of Creating Happy Families with her husband Rob Fogarty.

The pair moved from Hamilton Island on their sailing boat in April 2022 and have been working within the community to create “better thinkers, better creators and better communicators.”

Their innovative ideas appear to be endless with the pair claiming that in the 25 years they’ve been together they just “can’t sit still.”

“We get an itch and we scratch it. Normally Lisa’s itch and I’m the one who has to scratch it,” said Mr Fogarty. “Lisa’s dream. My vision.”

Mrs Fogarty can foresee the space being used for so much more than just tea with hopes of facilitating entrepreneur clubs for kids, parenting workshops and hiring out the space for family workshops.

“This will morph into whatever the community wants it to be,” Mrs Fogarty said.

Using words like ‘fun’ ‘courageous’, ‘one-of-a-kind’ and ‘rare’ when describing Maggie Island Bubble Tea, Australian designer Joel Pringle, landed on a unicorn when creating a logo for the new brand.

“We want any experience people have with us here at this location to be magical. And unicorns are magical,” Mrs Fogarty said.

With the official launch on National Bubble Tea Day, April 30, families can visit the shop at 5 Bright Ave, Arcadia and try out the naturally fruity tea for themselves.

Kids can also meet the ‘unicorn’ up close and personal, with friends volunteering their pony for the event.

Originally published as Rob and Lisa Fogarty open Magnetic Island’s first bubble tea shop