Soda Pop in Sabin

By Neil G. Schloesser
Contributing Writer

Non-drinkers rejoice. There is more to life than the same old boring tea, coffee, and Coke products. There is SODA, well over a hundred types of the finest regional pops from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico and all conveniently located in the Old General 52 store in Sabin. No longer will stomachs churn from caffeine overdoses and tongues shrivel in the face of repetitive choices, while beer drinkers prance amongst their choices of a cold drink. At last there is hope.

Owned by Charles McWethy, the store opened in 2007 and specializes in pop and old-time toys but also serves ice cream, coffee, and acts as a small grocery store for Sabin.

The pops are the first thing one sees when entering the store. They’re on the left and take up three shelves that go for miles. They don’t seem to be grouped in any meaningful way which is fine, all the better reason to hunt down something amazing. There are fruit pops such as grape and orange, familiar pops like Jones Soda, lemon pops, natural pops, and a large variety of cola pops. Most of the flavors are concocted by obscure regional producers like Blue Berry Soda by Maine Root from Portland, Maine. There are even a few non-alcoholic beers that state the familiar “0.5% or less by volume.”

The first aisle of pops is impressive but there is almost as large of a section devoted entirely to the art of rootbeer. Three shelves of nothing but new, wonderful, rare, mysterious, far-off rootbeer brands. Rootbeer is to the professional soda drinker what beer is to the professional drinker.

Unfortunately, the bottles are all at room temperature. There are a handful chilled so you could slam a unique cold one down while taking the rest home. All the bottles are $1.99 plus tax and sold by the bottle. There are also prepackaged variety packs.

The store also sells a large variety of specialty hot sauces, Blue Bunny brand ice cream cones, coffee, and toys like Lincoln Logs, K’nex, and others that generally don’t need batteries and are foreign to anyone born after 1989. Prices for non-pop related items are in line with what is charged elsewhere. Some of the items sold are available at a variety of stores in Fargo but not under one roof, so in addition to selling to the palette they are selling to nostalgia, which is good because the toys they sell require imagination and active participation (that makes kids smarter).

When all the buying has been completed and the ice cream consumed, a nice game of checkers is a good way to relax while looking out at the crawling pace of Sabin. Old General 52 is a nice store with neat products. And on a summer afternoon, a drive through the country to get there is as good as the pops they sell.

And beer drinkers, you’re no longer the only ones who get to do the happy dance.

Questions and comments: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

If You Go

What: Old General 52
Where: 23 Main St, Sabin, Minn.
When: M-F 7am-9pm, Sat 8-9, Sun 11-9
Info: 218.798.7862