A Rainbow of Flavors at Soda Pop Central

Right now, I'm enjoying my first taste of Hank's Premium Highland Berry Soda from a glass bottle. It's like nothing I've had before, but I do tend to say that after I try ANYTHING I haven't had before from Soda Pop Central.

For those of you who read the print edition of Soda Pop Dreams, you know all about Soda Pop Central in Whitby, Ontario. This shop, owned by soda pop guru Dave Repol, is a dream come true for soda pop connoisseurs. Imagine walking into a shop that carries hundreds of soda brands from across North America in a rainbow of varieties - and they're all in glass bottles, many with the old crown caps. This, dear readers, is what you'll find at Soda Pop Central.

As luck would have it, my wife Erin was flying to Calgary yesterday so I gave her a ride to her friend's house near Whitby. Of course, knowing in the back of my mind that Soda Pop Central was just a hop skip and a jump from there, I gladly made the 2 hour trip. Not only did I get to see her off as she leaves for a 2 week trip, I also got to stock up on some rare and fantastic gourmet sodas that will be long gone by the time she gets back.

This time around, I bought: Rat Bastard root beer; Gordon's Blueberries & Cream; High Mountain Huckleberry; Gray's Raspberry Cream Soda; Whoopie Citrus Smash; Henry Weinhard's Oranges & Cream; Filbert's Old Time Quality Peach; Jeff's Chocolate Soda (Amazing New York Egg Cream); Hank's Premium Highland Berry; Milligan's root beer, and a few bottles of Sparky's root beer (in my opinion, the best root beer on the planet). The idea was to get these gourmet sodas as a treat since they don't exactly sell for the same price as your run-of-the-mill Coke or Pepsi beverage. But so far today, I've taken care of a bottle of Sparky's, the Jeff's Chocolate Soda, and by the time I'm finished writing this column, the Hank's will be just an aftertaste as well.

For those of you who DON'T read Soda Pop Dreams Magazine (but let's face it, you really should), here's the scoop on Soda Pop Central. Dave Repol has a winemaking business and a while ago, he started stocking Vernors Ginger Ale in glass bottles. It wasn't long before people were buying it up by the caseload. Dave tapped into this nostalgic market of sodas in glass bottles, and now he stocks hundreds of brands from across North America including old favorites like The Pop Shoppe, Vernors, A&W in brown glass, Kick-A-Poo Joy Juice, Nehi, Faygo, Red Rock, Bubble Up, Moxie, Frostie, and a slew of others. And if you're a soda pop collector, you'll also appreciate Dave's hefty collection of Vernors memorabilia on display in the shop (cans, bottles, signs, advertising, clocks, and more)!

If you're out and about cruising the web and you come across their website (http://www.sodapopcentral.com), it really doesn't do the store justice. If you're ever in the Toronto area (in Ontario), drive a bit further to Whitby and drop in at Soda Pop Central. It's a soda pop dream that you'll keep coming back to.

For more information on Soda Pop Dreams Magazine, check out: http://www.sodapopdreams.org.