Soda Jerk

article by VANELIS RIVERA
photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

The “dirty soda” craze has arrived in the Twin Cities thanks to Teal Hoffman and Maren Bentson. Wanting to share their love of the highly flavorful beverage, the sisters have created Soda Jerk, a drive-through business that exudes positive and fun vibes. Their inventive combination of soda, flavored syrup, and cream have already earned them a substantial customer base that keeps growing. Rich in flavor and refreshing, this soda trend may be here to stay.

The Bentson sisters grew up between two states, as their father is from Montana and mother from Louisiana. When Maren moved back to the south, she noted the absence of dirty soda shops, revealing to her sister a possible business opportunity. But it wasn’t until Teal moved to Louisina with her husband and children that the pair took the necessary steps to fulfill a dream they had since they were just eleven years old. “We wanted a business called the Perfect Pink,” says Teal. Though they would eventually take their current business name in another direction, it was decided that pink would still be part of the aesthetic. “We felt like this area really needed cute, girly businesses,” says Teal, who thankfully ignored all the skeptics trying to convince them otherwise.

The pair began by spending “ungodly amounts of time” in Teal’s kitchen testing drinks, cluttering counters with coke, root beer, coconut cream, and an array of Torani syrups. “We really started it from scratch,” says Maren. For nine months, the pair researched recipes, concocted their own mixes, and held a plethora of taste tests. “I’m picky about sodas and flavors,” says Maren, a self-proclaimed “Diet Coke nut.” Meanwhile, Teal took the lead in conceptualizing drinks, having a knack for pairing flavors. The taste tasting was a thorough process, and customers should be assured that every item on the menu is a flavor both sisters love, take pride in, and are excited to share with customers. 

Why Soda Jerk? Teal’s husband suggested the name. The term was historically used to describe a person who would operate old-fashioned drugstore soda fountains (also called soda jerker). Even so, for the sisters, the name of their business also represents women’s empowerment, drawing from the challenges they’ve faced in their personal lives. “We almost had to learn how to actually be a jerk and push our way into doing what we wanted,” reveals Teal. Regardless of the connotation, customers have embraced the zingy name along with the trailer’s bubblegum pink color, smiley face logo, and instructional tagline “Be a Jerk.” 

The Soda Jerk menu is categorized into Favorites, Kids, Sugar-Free Favorites, Blended Lemonade, Blended Energy, and Iced Energy. Much to their surprise, many customers are “die hard root beer drinkers,” gravitating toward the two root beer options—The Johnny Cash (root beer, butterscotch, vanilla, vanilla cream) and The Elvis (root beer, toasted marshmallow, vanilla cream). Meanwhile, caffeine fans drive by for their regular fix of either The Bunny Hop (strawberry coconut energy, Sprite Zero, sugar-free coconut, coconut cream), The Strawberry Swing (White Monster, strawberry, vanilla cream), or The Banana Boogie (Peach Celsius, banana, vanilla cream). While the menu is versatile, that doesn’t stop Teal and Maren from adding specials via their Facebook page. Sweetening up spooky season is a Dr. Pepper, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cream blend, and, in the works, a drink featuring blood orange flavor.

With a growing population of dirty soda seekers, the Bentson sisters are currently searching for a more permanent home for Soda Jerk. Their expansion plans include remodeling a shipping container—styled in pink, of course—and finding a location that can best serve the Northeast Louisiana community. “We’re very picky about the way we come across, and having impeccable customer service,” says Teal, informing that the business is currently training new employees.

More than imaginative drinks and spirited vibes, Teal and Maren provide the kind of pick-me-up that everyone can enjoy. Whether you are a parent, like them, who is craving a pick-me-up, a gym-goer needing some fuel before a workout, or someone that lives by the motto “treat yo self,” go see the Soda Jerk sisters for their fun and refreshing twists on the ongoing dirty soda sensation.