Gotcha Matcha’s Eric Hinklen Jr. realized he had a business idea steeping after a trip to Thailand.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte entrepreneur who dreams of making his shop “the face of matcha” has successfully launched Gotcha Matcha, moving from a pop-up concept to a permanent Uptown location in just 10 months. Eric Hicklen Jr., owner of Gotcha Matcha, opened his brick-and-mortar store in 2024 after years of planning inspired by a transformative family trip to Thailand in 2019.
Hicklen Jr. “had always had aspirations of owning a coffee shop,” but his vision shifted toward matcha after experiencing the beverage’s popularity overseas. During his Thailand visit, he wondered “why don’t they have this in the U.S?”
Hicklen Jr. realized he had an opportunity brewing.
“We are the they, so we when are we going to bring it to the U.S.,” Hicklen Jr. said.
The timing proved fortuitous for the aspiring business owner.
“2020 was the year where a lot of businesses got out of business but a lot of new ideas came up during that time,” Hicklen Jr. said.
After working at “one of the world’s most recognizable coffee houses,” he decided to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams, officially launching Gotcha Matcha in 2023.
Hicklen Jr. leveraged his background as a videographer and social media expertise to build a unique following around his matcha concept. He “took advantage of this opportunity and was there for 90 days” during the initial pop-up phase.
The rapid growth exceeded expectations.
“From the time I started as a pop up in September to the time I signed the lease it all happened in 10 months,” Hicklen Jr. said. He attributes his success to product quality, noting that “support has been there because the product is there, if it wasn’t great… wouldn’t be in business.”
His advice to other entrepreneurs reflects his integrated approach.
“Find your three passions and make them all work together,” Hicklen Jr. said.
Hicklen Jr. is already planning a second location with expansion to other cities in the future.
Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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