POPS in Arcadia

The 56 inch tall soda bottle in Arcadia, Okla. lights up the gas station at night, and during the day tourists and bikers go to this place to eat and dine.
POPS was originally just a gas station in Arcadia. When the previous owner retired, he sold it to Aubrey McClendon. McClendon decided that he wanted something new and different to add to the gas station. His father used to be a soda clerk, which is how he came up with the idea of having sodas that ranged from old kinds to new kinds. “Barack O’Berry!” a teenage customer shouts. “It’s probably the most popular drink in POPS right now,” Ari Ervin, customer, said as she heard the teenager across the store. “He wanted something that no one else has done,” Jesse Stuman, POPS store manager, said.
According to Marty Doepke, POPS general manager, POPS sells over 565 different kinds of sodas, which comes from 37 states and 11 different countries! “POPS is only 2 years old, but it’s definitely getting popular fast,” Stuman said.
The bottles are arranged by color themes. For example, “In the Pink” includes: “Avery Watermelon,” “Jarritos Guava,” “Ramune Strawberry Soda,” and other drinks of the same color. “We alternate the selection of bottles every couple weeks,” Stuman said, “the reason for this is because we wouldn’t be able to fit all 565 different sodas on the shelves to sell.” So what this essentially means is that you get to try something new every couple weeks! It is no wonder customers like Ari never get tired of this place! “Yeah, I may not come as often as I did back when I was in high school, but I still definitely go out of my way to escape college life and have my little moment of joy here at POPS,” Ervin said.
While “Barack O’Berry” sells for its clever name and graphics on the bottle, it does not necessarily mean that it is the best flavor of soda in POPS, according to Doepke. “Some of the titles are humorous or interesting, and it’s the only reason why they are popular,” Doepke explained.
You may be wondering if POPS has some sort of screening process. In fact, they do! Doepke said that customers can request for certain flavors that they do not have, and they search for it and buy it from that state or country. They try it for a little bit, and if it sells enough, then they keep the flavors in their catalog; however, if the soda sells poorly, then they cut it off and replace it with something different.
In addition to POPS popularity over sodas, it has a restaurant inside that offers an American diner style of food. “We have really good burgers that go well with our drinks,” Stuman said. They serve prime steak and Angus cow according to Stuman.
Though POPS is booming with success, Doepke says that McClendon is not looking to expand the store. They are focusing more on maintaining and making POPS a better tourist spot for their customers.