BLUE SUN SODA AND SWEETS SHOP
SPRING LAKE PARK, MN
VISIT WEBSITE
It’s summer…the season of late nights and schedule-free days. The time of year when cotton candy becomes its own food group and bare feet become the new norm. The reason we became parents. Summer. Kids and summer. Nothing better. Wait, correction: Kids, summer and FUN! Don’t forget the fun. My crew recently discovered a new summer staple that will bring a lot of fun to our days (well, fun and sugar). Blue Sun Soda and Sweets Shop is Minnesota’s first “gourmet” soda shop, with a side order of candy, some pinball and Skee-Ball games, and free popcorn. If your kids (or just you) are in the mood for a special treat for drive-in movie night or you need some bribery for a long family road trip, consider making this special stop in Spring Lake Park where you can let the kids make a few unique selections. I mean, c’mon, it’s summer. When else can you spoil them like this and feel ok about it? It’s all about the fun!
What is it?
Blue Sun Soda and Sweets Shop is a small destination in Spring Lake Park that sits in a little strip mall with outdoor seating and color-adorned glass windows boasting their claim to fame: over 1300 varieties of unique gourmet sodas (900 varieties of root beer alone) and a decent selection of old-fashioned candy. You walk in and are immediately greeted by a crazy happy staff that welcomes you with loud “Hellos” and a sample of the soda of the day. The Chubby Checker music is playing from the ceiling and all you can see are rows and rows of soda. And more soda. And a popcorn machine with a “FREE” sign on it. Oh, and more soda. My sugarholic husband had to pick his jaw up off the floor, then grabbed a basket, a free bag of popcorn, and a sample of soda before heading down every aisle of goodness. The store recently expanded too, lending its extra space to a mini pinball/skee-ball/air-hockey arcade and a small “General Store” candy area.
Fit for what ages?
Age is pretty much irrelevant. Do you like candy? Can you drink soda? Are you tall enough to reach a pinball machine (heck, if not, they have crates for kids to stand on)? Strollers don’t fit down the aisles very well so keep that in mind if bringing small kids. And keep tiny destructive hands at a distance (soda bottles are indeed made of breakable glass). All that aside, ages 0 through 100 will go home with smiles on their faces.
How much are we talkin?
While pinball used to be free here, they have raised the price to a quarter a game, which is actually pretty good for arcades nowadays. They also added Skee-Ball and a couple merry-go-rounds. Spend $5 and play for a good long time. They do still offer a FREE bag of popcorn and FREE sample of soda?
Sodas can add up quickly. Most sodas sit around $2/each, but some of the “fancier” drinks can be mixed and matched for $2.49 or $3. Cases can be purchased for around $30, give or take. You can hop on a rewards or points program and save 1/2 off a 24-pack when you hit enough purchases. You also get a FREE pop on your birthday!
As far as the candy section goes, some are marked individually, but the bulk candy is $11.99/pound of hard candy or $7.99/pound of taffy.
Want some tips?
Go on your birthday to get a free soda. It will go well with your free popcorn and pinball. Speaking of pinball, my husband was completely geeking out over the fact that one of their machines was PinBot. Apparently, that’s an old classic that is hard to find and super awesome. However, a number of the games were out of order when we last visited, which was pretty disappointing.
I like how “Minnesotan” they make the store feel. In fact, it carries Whistler Bottling Company sodas, and actually has an entire corner designated to local brands (“Minne-Sodas” – clever, huh?). There’s also sections for Diet sodas (“Yay!” screams the diabetic) and Gluten-Free sodas. Oh, and the sales guy was super excited about this Harry Potter Butterscotch Beer soda. I don’t know…I’ve never read the books. Is that a thing?
Restrooms are in the back of the store and there are chairs out front for sitting and sipping. If you become a regular or have an addiction to flavored sodas, be sure to sign up for their online Soda Tracker. What a bizarre and unique addiction. Check it out online here.
They accept credit cards and seem to love children, so make a trip of it and spoil them rotten!
The store is only 5 minutes east of Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, which would be a fun way for your kids to run off their sugar highs!
Hours and Location
1625 County Highway 10 Suite D | Spring Lake Park, MN 55432
Blue Sun’s hours are:
Monday-Saturday 10am to 8pm
Sunday 10am to 6pm
Parking is free and it’s easy to find right off the main highway.
Follow Blue Sun Soda Shop on their Facebook page to see cute photos, updated inventory, soda tasting and event notices, goofy clever videos, and more!
