Only 12 years old, this determined entrepreneur owns a thriving Arlington restaurant

At an age when many youngsters are blowing bubbles for fun, Olivia Huynh is serving customers bubble tea.

Only 12 years old, Olivia is the owner of Rocketbelly, a space-themed restaurant she opened when she was 10. From her own special chicken dish to the popular tea, the restaurant at 100 W. Pioneer Parkway, Suite 156, is a success.

Olivia started Rocketbelly with money she earned from acting and modeling, which she started at 4.

“I told my mom I wanted to be an actress and wouldn’t leave her alone,” she said, chuckling.

Olivia auditioned and was signed by an agent on the spot.

“I wanted to prove to my mom that I could do it, so I told her I wanted to go into the audition room by myself,” she said.

Her acting credits include “What Happened to the Babysitter?,” “Kid Counselor” and “DIY with Ollie.”

“She has always been determined and strong-willed, even as a toddler,” said her mom, Mary Hyunh. “Growing up with little and facing financial struggles well into my late 20s and early 30s, I made sure to teach her the importance of being smart with money.

“Everything was funded by her savings without any financial help from us. It was tough finding property owners willing to listen to her, and there were moments we didn’t think we’d overcome those hurdles. So, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who believed in Olivia.”

Her mother helps out in such areas as social media, graphics and marketing, thanks to her background.

“I’m also the chef, helping Olivia bring her culinary ideas to life,” Mary said. “Her dad has recently started helping out too, after leaving his full-time job in cybersecurity to support Olivia in achieving her dreams.”

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Bubble tea

While the main food dishes center on chicken, folks love the bubble tea. And if you’re not sure which flavor, samples are free.

“My family loves to travel and try new foods, and one of our favorites is bubble tea,” Olivia said. “I noticed that my mom always ordered the same flavor everywhere, so I asked her why. She said she was scared to waste money on a flavor she might not like.”

So, Olivia came up with the idea of having self-serve dispensers to let people taste before they decide — and make the drink themselves to their liking.

“I knew I didn’t want to ever take people’s money if they didn’t like it, so the sampling idea has worked really well,” she continued.

Rocketbelly has over 40 flavors and toppings, which Olivia said makes creating the teas fun.

Menu

Along with the popular bubble tea, Rocketbelly serves Rocket Chicken (a cross between traditional chicken tenders and Japanese style chicken katsu), curry, desserts and more.

Olivia said the chicken tender plate with a secret sauce she created as a toddler — yes, a toddler — is the main menu item. It is, of course, called Rocket Sauce.

“I thought the chicken and sauce I made with my mom would be perfect,” she recalled. “We also enjoy trying different flavors when we eat out, so we mix different types of foods to create something unique.”

She doesn’t like preservatives, however, so all of the sauces at Rocketbelly are made from scratch. Some have fresh fruits as the base.

“My goal is to create tasty, affordable food that’s also super duper unique,” she said.

Origin of the name Rocketbelly

Olivia’s love of space is behind the name.

“I imagined a huge rocket ship with a restaurant inside its ‘belly,’ and I thought it would look cool with lots of white, silver, and neon lights to make it very futuristic,” Olivia explained.

She also loves cats, so her mom created a logo that combines space and cats.

“That’s how we got our Catsronaut mascot,” Olivia said with a chuckle.

Acting and modeling on hold

Olivia, who is homeschooled, put acting and modeling on hold to run her business. She is there every day. She keeps the front tidy and even plays games with customers.

“Everyone has a story and I love to learn about my customers,” she said. “I notice as a customer going into stores and restaurants that no one ever smiles any more. No one says hi or talks. I want everyone to smile and feel happy going into my shop.”

She also won the hearts of Arlington city leaders. Mayor Jim Ross posted on Facebook after dining at her restaurant, “With young ladies like this in Arlington, our future is indeed very bright. Thank you Olivia for absolutely making my day. You are an inspiration to us all.”

City councilman Raul Gonzalez said: “As a precocious young lady, Olivia inspires others to find a way to invest in themselves and our community,” Gonzalez said. “She is blessed to have such strong support from her mom and family. I wish her success for many years to come.”

Looking ahead

Olivia wants to return to acting someday and study art in college.

She also loves being active in the community. Last year Santa visited the restaurant, as did astronaut and Navy Seal Chris Cassidy.

And if you love themed restaurants, visit Rocketbelly during the fall and winter.

“I make it super pretty for fall, super spooky for halloween, and super duper awesome for Christmas,” she said. “My first anniversary party was super fun, and I am hoping to make my second anniversary even more fun.”