Starbucks, Boxwood, Kirshenbaum, and many other coffee shops have long been popular in Westfield. Recently, Westfield added a new drink store to its lineup: FizzyPop. FizzyPop is a soda shop on East Broad Street that offers over 100,000 fun flavor combinations, multiple sodas, and custom drinks, like the Westfield Blue Devil. The real question is: Will FizzyPop keep its popularity, or will its fall come sooner than we think?
FizzyPop was designed to have a welcoming, fun, and exciting vibe, especially to draw in teens, one of the largest groups of visitors in Westfield. Although FizzyPop is filled with colorful excitement, it also has a retro look. It has an ’80s-themed aesthetic with a modern neon twist. The interior is certainly intriguing, but eighth-grade student Maya Kaya shared her opinion on the atmosphere: “FizzyPop’s atmosphere is very retro and looks as if it’s on a movie set. The vibe of the place makes me feel like it’s too much and not very inviting.”
When going to restaurants, fast-food places, or just about anywhere, the atmosphere can be a big dealbreaker because it affects the overall experience. Piggybacking off what Maya said, sixth-grade student Teddy Giordano added, “The colors are cool, but I think the theme and environment don’t appeal to teens as much as they could.”
Since we know that FizzyPop is all the rage, the real question is: Is it beneficial for kids’ health? “In a meta-analysis of 88 studies, we examined the association between soft drink consumption and nutrition and health outcomes. We found clear associations of soft drink intake with increased energy intake and body weight. Soft drink intake also was associated with lower intakes of milk, calcium, and other nutrients and with an increased risk of several medical problems (e.g., diabetes)” (Brownell).
Students at Edison have really embraced the new trend and love FizzyPop. There are so many flavors for people to choose from, which is all part of the fun! Eighth-grade student Isaac Medrano shared, “Cherry-Cola is fire. It highlights the sweet cherry flavor while also being a nice bubbly drink.”
Recently, FizzyPop hasn’t been the only drink shop to open. 7 Brew in Clark, New Jersey, also recently opened. 7 Brew has a different style of business. There is no walk-in option, only a drive-thru. It offers some fizzy sodas, but it is better known for its coffee and energy drinks. The Daily Nebraskan published an opinion piece about how some customers have been feeling about the new addition to their town. Angie wrote, “Rather than going from one window to another, they often have a worker come up to your car and take your order. So, by the time you reach where their menu is, your order has already been placed and sometimes even paid for. When I looked online to find what kind of drink I might get, the options were endless and overwhelming.” 7 Brew may take a different approach to the drink business, but that doesn’t mean people like it any less. The experience puts a fun twist on the traditional drive-thru.
All in all, FizzyPop has brought a new attraction to Westfield, creating a fun experience with tasty drinks for all ages. FizzyPop has added a unique new business to the town, but the real question is: Will FizzyPop stay popping, or will it start dropping?
