Wichita’s first ‘dirty soda’ shop opened in Wichita this week. East-side shop is next.
.jpg "Just a Sip, Wichita’s first “dirty soda” shop, opens at 13th and Tyler on Wednesday, and drinks will be free on Wednesday and Thursday.")
As he opens his first Just a Sip dirty soda shop in west Wichita this week, entrepreneur Derek Sorrells has shared that he’s also signed a lease on a spot for an east-side location.
Sorrells, owner of local businesses Papa’s General Store, The Arcade, Sweet n Saucy and Let’s Go Build, is opened his first Just a Sip shop on Wednesday in the former Fried Pies space at Northwest Centre, 13th and Tyler, and during its first two days in business, he gave away free drinks, causing a long line of cars.
Then, just before Thanksgiving, Sorrells plans to open his second Just a Sip in the spot at 2126 N. Webb Road that Baskin-Robbins vacated in March. The free-standing building faces Webb Road and is part of the Cambridge Market development at 21st and Webb.
He’s not done, either: Sorrells said he’s actively looking for spots in Derby and Andover to add Just a Sip stores, and he’d also like to eventually add a few more in Wichita, specifically in south and in northwest Wichita.
Nationwide, the “dirty soda” trend is big, especially with TikTok fans. The drinks blend sodas with sweet syrups, fresh fruit and fruit purees. National chains like Swig, Sodalicious and Fiiz are already doing big business in cities across the United States. Swig has five stores in the Oklahoma City area and has announced plans to expand into Kansas City later this year.
Sorrells said he wanted to get ahead of the trend in Wichita.
“We know that this is going to be big,” he said. “Just like 7 Brew and Scooter’s and Starbucks are big for coffee drinkers, we know this is going to be big for those of us whose vices are either soda or sparkling water.”
The Just a Sip menu, which is included below, offers drink combinations dreamed up by the staff, or customers can build their own drinks. More than 1,000 different combinations are possible, Sorrells said.
Among the options listed on the soda menu are the Dr. Velvet, featuring Dr. Pepper mixed with cranberry, lime juice and fresh lime, and the Peachy Bellini, which combines Diet Coke, vanilla, peach and Italian cream. (Sorrells will call his sodas “sassy sodas,” as the phrase “dirty soda” is trademarked.)
The menu also has a selection of “Sparklers,” which combine fruits and syrups with sparkling water, as well as “Lotus Infusions,” which are plant-based energy drinks. A small food menu includes things like sugar cookies with teal frosting and cinnamon sugar or salted pretzel bites with dips like melted cheese, icing or Nutella. There’s also a menu directed at kids.
Swig started in Utah in 2010 as an alternative for people who don’t drink coffee or just love fizzy drinks. Sorrells says he’s one of those people: He starts his day with a large Diet Coke.
Winter might seem like an odd time to start a soda shop, Sorrells said, but he thinks there’s a market for his concept in Wichita.
“As it starts to get colder, not everybody wants to get out of their car and go into QuikTrip and get a drink, or they want more options than they’re going to get at a Sonic, even. 7 Brew and Dutch Bros do have sparkling waters, but they don’t have as many flavors and fresh fruit options as we have.”
This story was originally published October 16, 2023 at 2:00 PM.
.jpg)