The early popularity of the cafe has prompted the team to expand it to more areas of the historic building. 

The best review a new Downtown Troutdale business could have gotten was from one of its youngest patrons.

A six-year-old girl walked in during the first week of operation, gazed around wide-eyed, and then declared, “This is my dream.”

That kind of overwhelming response has buoyed the Troutdale Soda Bar Cafe, which has brought the spirit of the 50s to town.

“We have been so surprised by the happiness we have gotten from people,” said Randy Lee, who co-owns the family business with his brother David. “This is first and foremost a place for kids and families.”

What initially began as a side project of Ripcity Popcorn has become so much more. The café, has an old-school soda bar, brought in from Boise, that whips out classics like New York egg creams, black and whites, and Shirley Temples, as well as newer fare like bubble tea and Italian sodas. There is ice cream by the scoop, nostalgic candy in bulk, espresso and pastries, sandwiches, hot dogs, and more.

The shop is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, at 289 E. Historic Columbia River Highway

“We want to keep finding new things to offer so that an even wider variety of people can fall in love with this place,” Lee said.

Troutdale Soda Bar Café

What: Nostalgic drinks and candy; Ice cream, sandwiches and espresso

Where: 289 E. Historic Columbia River Highway

Hours: 7 a.m. — 8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 7 a.m. — 7 p.m. Sun.

Folks should recognize the address: the Troutdale Soda Bar Café and Ripcity Popcorn moved into the most iconic building in Downtown Troutdale. The former Troutdale General Store, which had been vacant since the 2022 closure and much-deserved retirement of Terry and Jodi Smoke, is once again open to the public.

And though it’s a different business, there are connections. The Smokes, who always had an eye for vintage and antiques, helped secure furnishings, and the walls of the café have little bits of East County history.

“Terry and Jodi did such a good job with this place,” Lee said. “We wanted to keep that appreciation for this community.”

All of this has been something of an accidental success story.

Ripcity Popcorn

Learn more about the fundraising opportunities and gourmet popcorn online at: ripcitypopcorn.com

Ripcity Popcorn is a fundraising company that supplies students and organizations across the state with products that can then be sold in support of various causes — with participants earning prizes and goodies for being top-sellers.

The main draw is that gourmet popcorn, which comes in nine flavors, that the company has been making itself since 2013, mainly because partner vendors couldn’t keep up with the crushing demand, which often pushes 70,000 bags of popcorn during a three-month peak.

“We needed a better way to keep up, so we bought equipment and started controlling the product ourselves,” Lee said.

That kind of demand is what prompted the move to Troutdale — Ripcity Popcorn had outgrown its warehouse in Springdale. During the post-spring lull the lease became available in downtown, and they leapt at the opportunity.

The initial vision for the three-story building was for the popcorn/fundraising operations in the basement, and offices on the upper floor. They moved in on April 1, and were mulling a small retail space to sell popcorn.

“The response we got from people showed us how much more we could do, being in this beautiful space opened our eyes,” Lee said. “This has evolved and grown from a ‘Ripcity Popcorn store’ to a whole café.”

“It has been so exciting we are rethinking our whole business model,” Lee said with a laugh.

Some of that has been immediate changes, showcasing the nimble and flexible style of the owners. When they heard in the first week how much people were loving the sandwiches, they bolstered the offerings and purchased better equipment. When someone who grew up going to soda shops had an off-menu request — chocolate raspberry soda — the team created it step-by-step.

And there are future plans. Because of the unparalleled view from the upper floor, they are going to shift out the offices to allow customers to enjoy their treats upstairs. There is even talk of moving Ripcity Popcorn elsewhere, and allowing the whole building to be dedicated to the café.

“We don’t exactly know what will come in the future, we are still a small, family-owned business,” Lee said. “But we are loving the possibilities.”