A new family-run dirty soda and mocktail stand is shaking up the drink scene at rio (the Rio Lakefront) in Gaithersburg, serving up sugary, summery concoctions right by the carousel and playground. Sip, a kiosk tucked next to Bear’s Shaved Ice, is pouring customizable sodas, mocktails, energy-drink mixes and sparkling-water refreshers aimed squarely at families and summer visitors looking for something a little more fun than a basic fountain drink.
Family-run stand doubles as summer jobs for teens
Owned by Mindy Merrill and staffed by her husband, children and several friends, Sip is as much a hands-on family project as it is a business, and it doubles as a summer job hub for local teens, Merrill told The MoCo Show. "We started Sip to give our family the entrepreneurial experience, to teach them the hustle and initiative it takes to start and run a business," she said.
The menu leans beachy, with dirty-soda names like Ocean City, Key West, Siesta Key and Malibu, plus specialty mocktails including Waikiki and Coney Island. According to the report, Sip is generally open Monday through Saturday from about 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. until roughly 9 p.m. or sunset.
Where to find it at rio
Rio is a nine-acre lakefront lifestyle center at 9841 Washingtonian Boulevard, with a boardwalk, restaurants, paddle boats and a carousel that pull in families throughout the summer. The RIO Lakefront events calendar and social feed show the steady lineup of programming and foot traffic that the Merrills said made the location a natural fit for their kiosk.
Dirty soda's Utah roots, local spin
Dirty sodas, which start with a soda base that is then "spiked" with flavored syrups, creams and fruit, first took off in Utah and have been spreading as national chains and independents look for more customizable nonalcoholic options. The Cornell Chronicle has tracked the growth of the trend, and Merrill told The MoCo Show that most of Sip's recipes were created specifically for Montgomery County instead of being copied from out-of-state competitors.
