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Business Never Fizzles Out

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By LAURA KINSLER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

LUTZ - In the early 1990s, when John Lockhart decided to stock his sandwich shop with hundreds of types of soda pop, the business was a decidedly low-tech enterprise.

He relied on customer requests for favorite childhood tastes or regional varieties. Transplants from the Carolinas wanted Cheerwine. Bluegrass natives were hooked on a Kentucky-brewed ginger brew called Ale 8-1. Texans grew up drinking Big Red.

Whenever he ran out of Moxie - his biggest seller - Lockhart would load up his wife and kids in the family car and head up to New England, stopping at small towns along the way to find undiscovered gems.

Almost two decades later, remarkably little has changed. It's still cheaper to take a road trip than to pay shipping for a few cases of soda. Only now, Lockhart uses his GPS system to find the closest grocery stores.

He has a Web site, www.sodamania.com, but most of his customers find him through word of mouth. Although prices have crept up, no drink costs more than $2.01 with tax.

Lockhart still gets requests for new flavors from his customers. Sometimes, they bring him a few cases from their latest vacations. Longtime customers Jack and Pat Frost brought in the newest A&W Root Beer Float, so Lockhart treated them to one they had not tried: Stewart's Orange 'n Cream.

"It tastes like a Creamsicle," Lockhart said.

The biggest change during the past 10 years has been the constantly evolving soft drink industry.

"We've seen the birth of the new age beverage," Lockhart said.

Subs-n-Such was one of the first retailers in the Tampa market to stock Arizona teas, and they're still big sellers. Lockhart has a pal who brings back cases of Manhattan Special - a carbonated espresso drink - from New York.

"The latest trends are the energy drinks," he said.

Before Red Bull there was Jolt Cola, and Lockhart carries both. "We just got a new one in today," Lockhart said, grabbing a can of Squirt Citrus Power, which has vitamins and more caffeine than Mountain Dew or Vault.
Jones Sodas has cornered the market on the "all natural" recipes and has a variety of flavors. "They use real sugar as a sweetener instead of corn syrup," Lockhart said.

Another relative newcomer, Chicago soft drink maker Imbibe, introduced a line of all-natural Italian sodas named for the hit TV show "The Sopranos." We tried the Limoncello and Amaretto flavors, both of which were refreshing, a little sweet and incredibly fragrant.

Some customers buy a dozen brands of root beer or ginger ale and hold tastings. Others want to try as many fruity Caribbean sodas as possible or a minty birch beer.

Lockhart keeps about 400 varieties in his warehouse and rotates the inventory in the shop. "We have about 230 in the shop right now," he said.

Despite new trends, the most popular brands at Subs-n-Such are the classics, such as grape Nehi, that date back to the early 20th century. And anything in a glass bottle will usually outsell a can.

"It's a nostalgia thing," Lockhart said. "People like the bottles. It brings good memories for everyone."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Subs-n-Such

WHERE: 14603 Livingston Ave.

WHEN: Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday

INFORMATION: Call (813) 972-1784 or go to www.sodamania.com

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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