Wednesday afternoon was a typical day at The Mixx Cafe.

In the back room there were teens playing pool — laughing and chatting about each other’s billiards skills the whole time. Up front a couple of people sat talking over colorful beverages. Behind the counter, manager Karla O’Brien was whipping up another drink, all the while smiling and chatting with a customer.

Welcome to The Mixx Cafe, where bubble tea flows frequently and the atmosphere is oh, so friendly.

The Mixx is owned by Oak Harbor resident Norrie Perrault and managed by O’Brien, Perrault’s sister. The establishment is located at 780 SE Bayshore Drive, situated just behind the Island Transit Harbor Station bus depot. It’s the perfect spot for the cafe, which promotes itself as a gathering spot and the only place in Oak Harbor to find the popular Asian drink.

Specialty of the house is bubble tea, a tea-based mixture that is often blended with milk and a tapioca base that can take on a variety of flavorings. The Mixx menu boasts two dozen flavors. When ordering, customers can also add “boba” or “pearls” to their beverages. Both terms refer to the tapioca balls which are the trademark of bubble tea. The pearls can also be made from lychee, coconut jelly or other flavorful substances.

The sisters decided to feature the unique drink because when they moved to Whidbey they surprisingly found — no bubble tea.

“It’s found everywhere else and is really popular in places such as Seattle,” O’Brien said. “We wanted to share it with everyone here.”

Despite sounding unfamiliar to the tastebuds of most Americans, O’Brien said the teas have been a hit with her customers’ palates.

“Many of them had known of the teas before because they tried them in other areas, so it wasn’t completely new,” O’Brien said.

The Mixx also has a menu of low-cost snacks and food to nibble on while hanging out with friends.

The cafe opened four months ago, and O’Brien said the response from the community has been good.

“I love it, there aren’t many places in the city that are drug free, fun and that welcome you in,” said teen Shane O’Brien. “We’re comfortable here. It’s a place where you can hang out, but someone’s parents can also feel free to stop by and check on them.”

O’Brien, who is no relation to the manager, admits that he often has to couch surf to find a place to stay. The Mixx offers him a place he can go during the day and just feel like he belongs.

Karla O’Brien said that she takes pride in the fact that she and her sister — who are both strong supporters of the Oak Harbor Boys and Girls Club — are now offering another safe place in town where kids can come and hang out.

“We enjoy being open for the kids around here,” she said. “We’re helping give them a place to be besides the streets.”

Teens such as Shane O’Brien have shown their appreciation by becoming frequent customers of the cafe. They can often be found enjoying the variety of activities The Mixx offers: video games, pool, foosball, karaoke and movie nights and listening to music. Darts and other games will be coming soon.

O’Brien said she’s considering bringing in live entertainment, but many details would have to be worked out first.

Recently, the owners took some decorating advice to heart.

“I told her the walls looked a little blank back here and offered my work,” said 18-year-old Zach Newton.

Now a 20-foot wide and 10-foot tall wall of The Mixx backroom is a colorful mural.

A graffiti-styled “The Mixx” stands tall with mountains and sunshine in the background and bubble tea swirling about.

The owners invited Newton to create a mural on the wall because they feel it’s best to allow youth such as him the opportunity to express their talents in a positive way at a legitimate venue.

The Mixx customers Sherrie Baker, 19, and Heather Villareal, 16, were happy to see the art go up.

“It’s awesome, they should allow more people to be a part of this place,” Baker said.

“For him, it’s free advertisement for anyone else who might be interested in his work, for me it’s a great way to make this place feel a little more their style,” O’Brien said.

The manager sees the mural as a way to embrace the kids who have already embraced her.

“They’re all great,” she said. “If I show up to open the doors even a minute late they’ll razz me about ‘Oh, you’re late’ — they’re always there to make me laugh.”

But don’t think that The Mixx is just a place for teenagers. Whole families stop by with parents hanging out and playing video games or pool with their kids and others.

“Business people stop by for meetings because our front room is often quiet and has plenty of room,” O’Brien said.

The Mixx is also available to be rented for different functions and groups.

The Mixx Cafe

780 SE Bayshore Drive,

Oak Harbor (located just

behind the Island Transit

Harbor Station)

Winter hours:

Monday – Thursday:

11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday and Saturday:

11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday: 1-6 p.m.

Features: Large cafe seating area that includes couches and comfy chairs. Activities such as video games, movies, karaoke, foosball and pool.

Menu: Dozens of flavors of the Asian specialty drink bubble tea. Also, low-cost snacks such as nachos and pizza.