‘DirtyPop’ brings craft sodas & food to Meadow River Valley
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
When Amanda and Gale Reed purchased “The Lot” in Rainelle in 2021, they had big plans. A food truck court. A putt-putt course. A coffee shop. A photography studio. But then life happened, forcing the Reeds to pivot.
Gale got seriously sick and has spent much of the past few years between the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins. As a result, he couldn’t keep his job and career of 26 years. Amanda couldn’t continue her photography business either. They decided to sell the space, as they were simply too busy to realize their dreams.
But then some friends in the hospitality business pitched them an idea. “They encouraged me to hop ion the craft soda trend,” Amanda recalls. “We are usually seven years behind trends in West Virginia, and no one was doing it here yet. So we launched DirtyPop.”
Dirty what? DirtyPop.
“It’s born from the idea of taking your favorite soda, and then customizing it,” explains Amanda. “Add elements like you would with coffee drinks–fruit purees, syrups, cold foams, and more.”
The Reeds opened their business on Black Friday in 2024.
“Winter wasn’t the prime time to open a business,” Amanda concedes, “but it’s been very good. People love it.”
DirtyPop currently has almost 40 specialty drinks on the menu all named after local landmarks or people.
“Raise Hell Rainelle” is a customer favorite. It has a root beer base with vanilla and caramel added.
Customers can either order a specialty drink off the menu, or make their own. To make your own, you pick a size, base soda, and flavors. Add-on falvors include marshmallow cream, cold foam, fresh fruit, pumpkin spice, and more.
Popular base sodas include Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange, Zero products, and more. But it’s not just soda. They also offer craft lemonades., ice tea refreshers, frappuccinos, hot chocolate, iced hot chocolate, and teas.
And if that’s not enough to wet your whistle, they serve food too! The regular menu includes popcorn, soft pretzels, hot dogs, nachos, and loaded baked potatoes. On Fridays, they also offer homemade specials such as BBQ and cheesesteaks.
“Everybody is thrilled to have a place they go grab a homemade hot dog with chili and slaw,” Amanda says. “The drinks are wildly popular. They like trying new things and love the names. People love to tag us on social media.”
With the Meadow River Trail now coming to town, bringing tourists from across the east coast, Amanda thinks it’s a great time for the Rainelle area.
“The momentum is good,” she says. “As more things start to open, we’ll be an encouragement to someone else to open their own business.”
“The Meadow River Trail will bring in a lot of tourism,” she believes. “My family and I spend a lot of time on trails. People who aren’t in that world may not see that. We know that’s going to grow and be a catalyst. People need a place to get a snack afterwards. It’s a cool and fun place to hang out. Very instagrammable.”
Indeed it is. Very cool and very fun.
Plus, what you see is just the beginning. Amanda and Gayle still dream of The Lot being a hub for more businesses and outdoor recreation opportunities for travelers and locals alike.
Gayle received clean labs for the first time in years last week. A team of six employees, who Amanda just loves, are working at DirtyPop. And the future is bright.
“I am excited for where this community is going,” she says.
DirtyPop is located at 287 Riverside Drive in Rainelle, WV. They are open seven days a week. Monday-Thursday from 11am-7pm, Friday-Saturday from 11am-9pm, and Sunday from 1-5pm. In the spring, they will offer extended hours.
