Sarge’s Soda Shop on the outskirts of Grovetown looks like a place you could find Archie and Veronica hanging out, or maybe teenage boys with ducktail haircuts and girls with poodle skirts.
The soda shop, located at Columbia and Lewiston roads, next to Food Lion, looks like a picture from an old magazine, with a black-and-white checkerboard floor, stainless steel furniture with black padded seats, and a row of stools at the counter. The sound system plays ‘50’s music. And if you come at the right time, you might even glimpse a young girl wearing an authentic poodle skirt.
The 1950’s vibe is intentional. Lee and Melissa Kerstetter and her brother, Josh Perkins, had seen a surge of soda shops opening in recent years in their home state of Utah and wanted to bring that feel to the CSRA. But they hadn’t seen one yet with the retro ‘50’s look.
So far it’s been a hit for all ages.
“We have a grandpa who brings his granddaughter in at least once a week,” Melissa said. “We have other grandparents bringing in grandchildren, too. It’s neat to see the generations.”
Sarge’s Soda Shop opened on Dec. 6 and is a venture borne out of Lee’s impending retirement from the military and some family deaths. In the past three years, they’ve lost both sets of parents and a brother.
“We found out life’s too short not to do something we enjoy,” Melissa said. “We wanted to open a family business that is family-friendly and affordable.”
Sarge’s (the name appears to refer to both Lee and the family dog) has earned rave reviews, especially for the popcorn. Popcorn aficionados have raved that it’s as good as or better than any found in movie theaters, words that Lee takes pride in.
“I’m a popcorn fiend,” he admitted. “When I go to the movie theater, I tell them to add lots and lots of butter and when they think it’s enough, add some more.”
Lee wanted to recreate that experience for his customers, so he researched and experimented with it until he got it just right.
“I try to make it so it’s all yellow, with no white kernels,” he said.
Of course, the centerpiece of any soda shop is the sodas, and Sarge’s offers an almost unlimited number of flavors. They feature both Pepsi and Coke products and many varieties of flavored syrups to add to them. A scoop of vanilla ice cream can turn any of them into a float.
Sarge displays some standard flavors, such as the Big Jim, which is root beer flavored with toasted marshmallow and butterscotch, making it reminiscent of Harry Potter’s Butterbeer, or the Dairy Princess, a mixture of orange Fanta, vanilla, and cream to evoke memories of a Creamsicle.
The baristas working the counter have also posted some of their favorite mixtures but customers can simply use their imaginations to create more. There are also boba drinks, kids’ drinks flavored with various gummies, fruit-infused waters, lemonade, and tea, both sweet and unsweet.
“Pretty much anything you can think of we’ve got the stuff to make it,” Melissa said. “We’ve seen some crazy combinations.”
To further satisfy a sweet tooth, Sarge’s also sells six varieties of cookies, baked fresh daily.
Their location at a busy intersection has led to several stops from passersby, but they chose the location because of the ability to have a drive-thru window.
“I wanted a drive-thru to make it easy for moms, so they didn’t have to get the kids out of the car,” Melissa said.
The Kerstetters have been pleasantly surprised at the number of regular customers they’ve had.
“We were surprised at how many friends we’ve made with all of the regulars who come in,” Melissa said. “It goes back to the old days when people did come in and talk face-to-face. We even have some teenagers who come in and sit at the counter and talk to us.”
They’ve also found that the concept of a soda shop is new to many people, and a surprising number have never heard of a root beer float.
Although they’ve been in business less than six months, Sarge’s is giving back to the community through various sponsorships with schools and community sports teams.
Melissa also loves to create specials around holidays – and a lot of things qualify as holidays. This week will be Star Wars week in honor of May the Fourth.
For more information, visit https://grovetownsodadrinks.com/ or see them on Facebook or Instagram.
