By Shruti Kumar 

Much to the surprise of local bubble tea enthusiasts, Ten Ren’s Tea Time, a tea establishment just outside the university’s campus, was closed on Feb. 27 due to health code violations. The store reopened shortly after.

Ten Ren’s is a Taiwan-based traditional tea company that was started by founder Lee Rie-Ho over 40 years ago. With a variety of teas and other beverage selections, the College Park location is convenient for and well-liked by many college students who visit regularly.

“I go probably once a week at least and have been going since my freshman year… and I’m a senior now,” Crystal Yasmin, a senior and public health science major, said. “I just love Ten Ren’s.”

The closure was ordered by the Prince George’s County Health Department’s Food Protection Program. The notice they pasted in the window cited Subtitle 12, Division 2, which is noted on the official website as a commonly used regulation. It refers to a number of general practices, including frozen food regulation, refuse disposal and toilet facilities. The health department could have found Ten Ren’s to be in violation of any number of the rules outlined in this section. The health department did not have any information to provide, since the official who signed the Ten Ren’s health flyer is no longer employed with the department.

“I was worried at first, because I was hoping it’s not a permanent closure. It didn’t even hit me that I should be worried about going there,” Yasmin said. “I was a bit curious to see what they’re going to change.”

Ten Ren’s employees and management did not respond to Stories Beneath the Shell’s requests for comment.