Rocket Fizz opens in Eastwood Towne Center
Vickki DozierLANSING TOWNSHIP — Rocket Fizz opened at Eastwood Towne Center on Saturday in a space in the center court.
"We had a lot of fun this weekend," said Rocket Fizz co-owner Mike Pitsch. "We had hundreds of people come through here each day. It was so busy you could hardly move in the store.
"Everybody’s a big kid when they come in this store. Even the adults, for sure. Kids walk in and their minds blow when they walk in. The adults too."
Rocket Fizz is a California-based retail store franchiser that sells its own line of uniquely flavored sodas along with a large selection of candies.
You dream it, they have it.
Childhood candy favorites. Gourmet soda. Masks. Posters, Gag gifts. And more.
The Eastwood Towne Center store is Pitsch and his wife Jodi's second Rocket Fizz franchise. They opened a Grand Rapids location a year ago.
There are 101 flavors of salt water taffy, roughly 50 flavors of bulk candy and a small selection of sugar-free candy.
"I've heard of Rocket Fizz and knew they sold all kinds of candy, so I was happy to hear one was coming to the Lansing area," said customer Sallie Craig.
"I'm buying some candy for my grandkids. I wanted to come in by myself first. Take a look at some of the things I remember eating. I'll bring them in maybe next week."
Over the weekend Pitsch said they sold a lot of butter beer, a Harry Potter-style butterscotch flavored soda.
Hundreds of other gourmet bottled sodas are displayed in coolers and on shelves.
Rocket Fizz "has all sorts of crazy licensed stuff, Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Hendrix, The Monkeys, Snooki, the Wizard of Oz," Pitsch said.
"There's a Wink Martindale flavor and a Judge Wapner from the People's Court. Judge Wapner was the uncle of the owner of Rocket Fizz."
The retro candies include Wacky Wafers, candy cigarettes, Bit-O-Honey, Chiclets, Goo Goo Clusters, Chocolate Rocks, Pez dispensers and refills.
And some new stuff — Godiva chocolate bars, different types of gummies and Sour Patch Kids, Jelly Bellies.
For every few bags of candy hanging, you'll encounter a random toy or novelty, a little gag gift, prank items.
For instance, edible gummy shot glasses. Or a Gingerbread Cottage kit. There's also a Rosie the Riveter bobblehead and action figure. Or maybe a pickle-scented air freshener.
Pitsch will be adding Japanese candies, hopefully within the next week. That will include Japanese science kit candies, Japanese gums, mints and hard candies.
"There's just so much to look at and see," Pitsch said. "You can’t see it all in one trip. There’s stuff that's hidden and hanging everywhere."
Rocket Fizz at Eastwood Towne Center
2981 Preyde Blvd., Lansing; (517) 318-6975
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
www.facebook.com/RocketFizzLansingMI
Contact Vickki Dozier at (517) 267-1342 or vdozier@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickkiD.