.jpg) Exterior of Galco's Soda Pop Stop | |
| Location | Highland Park, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1897 |
| Website | Official website |
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Galco's Soda Pop Stop is asoft drink specialty store located in theHighland Park neighborhood ofLos Angeles.[1][2] The shop's predecessor,Galco's Grocery, was originally opened inDowntown Los Angeles by Galioto and Corto Passi as an Italian grocery store in 1897.[3][4] Galco's moved to its current storefront in Highland Park in 1955.[2][5] It has specialized in carrying independent sodas since 1995, when John Nese succeeded his father as the store's owner.[2] According to John Nese, he shifted to stocking sodas during a period of poor business for grocery stores; in his own words, "the big chain stores were buying up the distribution channels [and] they just raised the prices and they made sure that no one can compete. So all the little guys went out of business."[5]
Galco's stocks and ships more than 700 different sodas, many of them hard-to-find and small-batch brands;[1][4] it also offers a variety ofbeers, old-fashionedcandies, and freshsandwiches.[1][2] In 2013, Galco's carried 108 differentdiet sodas, 68cream sodas, and 61root beers.[2]
Among the more prominent sodas that Galco's stocks includeAfri-Cola,Bubble Up,Dad's Root Beer,Faygo,Fentimans Curiosity Cola,Green River,Jolt Cola,Jones Soda,Kickapoo Joy Juice,Manhattan Special,Moxie,Mr. Q Cumber,Nesbitt's, andPennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer.[1][3][4][5][6][7][8] In 2011, a small batch of White Rose Cream Soda was produced specially for Galco's byNatrona Bottling Company as a fund-raiser for theSouthwest Museum.[9][10] Candies stocked by the store includeClark Bars,Lemonheads,Mallo Cups,Razzles,Scooter Pies,Sky Bars,Turkish Taffy, andZERO bars.[4] The beers it stocks are primarily Americancraft beers, includingDogfish Head,Fat Tire,Lost Coast, andRussian River, and imports such asSt. Peter's Winter Ale of England.[11]
Galco's additionally has a Soda Creation Station that allows customers to create their own personal soda, choosing the flavors andcarbonation level before capping and labeling their bottle.[7][10][12] Also, since 2011, the shop hosts an annual Summer Soda Tasting event.[10][12] In 2012, it stopped stockingDr Pepper products after theDublin Dr Pepperbottling plant was shut down.[13] Galco's was featured inVisiting... with Huell Howser episodes 811 (in 2016)[14] and 1602 (in 2017).[15]
Media related toGalco's Soda Pop Stop at Wikimedia Commons