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May 11, 2026
WESTON – From fruity blends to creamy concoctions, Owner Kate Loucks said FizzFactory is shaking up Weston’s beverage scene with customized sodas and unique flavor pairings.
Loucks said the year-old business features creative drinks that tap into the growing “dirty soda” trend while giving customers a fun, personalized experience.
Often made with a base of cola, lemon-lime soda or root beer, Loucks said a dirty soda is mixed with flavored syrups, cream or half-and-half, fruit purees and extras, such as lime or coconut – resulting in a sweeter, dessert-like drink customized to each customer.
Setting up shop in the space occupied by Avenue117 – a freeze-dried and novelty candy shop located at 4111 Schofield Ave., Suite 6 – Loucks said FizzFactory is gaining momentum, as more people learn about her dirty soda business.
“You can order some freeze-dried treats and then order off our dirty soda menu,” she said. “Our bar is right next to the cash register.”
From freeze-dried candy to dirty sodas
When her mother, Jennifer, opened Avenue117 in early 2024, Loucks said adding a dirty soda bar to the space wasn’t initially part of the plan.
As a high school student, she said she worked alongside her mother in the candy shop before graduating and going off to college, later earning a marketing degree.
“It was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to start a business, but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do or when I wanted to start it,” she said. “During the summer of 2024, I started researching the dirty soda business.”
While researching the concept, Loucks said “making dirty sodas seemed like a fun thing to do.”
“My mother and I briefly chatted about me opening FizzFactory somewhere else, but we realized it would work better collaborating and doing this venture together,” she said. “She had all the licensing, so we decided to work together and set up in the same area. Maybe one day I’ll branch out somewhere else, but for right now, it seems to be working well sharing the space with Avenue117.”
Besides stocking her dirty soda inventory and setting up an additional bar, Loucks said the space was largely ready for business.
She said she first tested FizzFactory at a show in November 2024 before opening inside Avenue117.
“Then, I decided to move to Florida for four months,” she laughed. “That was from January 2025 until May. When I got home, that’s when we went full gas and implemented it all into the store.”
Loucks said she and her mother still travel to off-site events, spreading the news about both FizzFactory and Avenue117.
“We don’t do farmers’ markets, but we’ll do craft shows, private events, bigger events, etc.,” she said. “We just started doing private events earlier this year, and we’re booked for an upcoming wedding. We also did a corporate event and a baby shower. We’re doing a prom soon, too. We can do a little bit of everything.”
Loucks said if the first year in business is any indication, FizzFactory is “definitely filling a void” in the area.
“We were the first dirty soda shop in the Wausau area,” she said. “Things are going well so far. People recognize us and love our dirty sodas, because they’re like the original dirty sodas that were based on Utah’s Swig – the brand that helped make dirty soda famous.”
Loucks said the shop’s dirty sodas have drawn strong interest, especially from customers visiting from other areas.
“When they come in and try them, they’ll say, ‘Oh, this reminds me of home,’” she said.
Mixing up different flavors
Because there are a plethora of different flavored sodas, syrups, creamers and other ingredients customers can put in a dirty soda, Loucks said the “possibilities are endless.”
She said FizzFactory has a “huge menu,” and the shop is always coming up with new creations.
“We also have drinks of the week and special holiday menus,” she said. “You can pretty much do anything when you mix and match flavors and try different things.”
Though there are hundreds of drink options, Loucks said some of the more popular concoctions include the Betty, the Dorothy and the Iris.
“Our Betty is root beer with toasted marshmallow and white chocolate syrup with vanilla cream,” she said. “The Dorothy is Dr. Pepper with strawberry syrup, cupcake syrup and vanilla cream. The Iris is Mountain Dew with blue raspberry and pineapple syrup.”
Loucks said customers also “really like my ‘old lady’ dirty soda names.”
“I think that’s one thing that sets us apart a bit,” she laughed. “People love the names and laugh at them whenever they see them.”
With an endless array of options to choose from, Loucks said customers can also create their own dirty sodas.
“One time, this kid came in and ordered a root beer with mango syrup and mango puree with cream in it – he said it was really good,” she said. “People can come in and pretty much do anything they want with the soda. Yes, we have our menu, but people can change up the flavors if they’d like.”
Loucks said the dirty soda faze is not slowing down – in fact, she said it’s growing in popularity.
“Other dirty soda bars are popping up around the area now,” she said.
For more on FizzFactory, find it on Facebook.
