Rocket Fizz, the popular novelty candy and soda store in downtown Mountain View, closed in January after four years of operation and will be missed by students who enjoyed the store’s bright atmosphere and offbeat selection of products.

According to Max Hauser in the Old Mountain View Newsletter, the owner told Hauser that the store closed due to rent increases.

Junior Jehan Rasmussen said that they miss the store because of its unique and wide variety of items.

“We [always] have to stop by Rocket Fizz because they always have new stuff. They have old comics like Archie  and Marvel comics. They also have the really, really, weirdly flavored drinks. That’s been a favorite thing of mine,” Rasmussen said.

Junior Paula Sias also said that she enjoyed trying bizarrely flavored sodas. She said one of her most memorable experiences was doing a weirdly flavored soda challenge with her friends… and throwing up after.

Sias said she found Rocket Fizz to be a change of scenery with its cheery atmosphere and variety of items that contrasted with the rest of downtown Mountain View, which is mostly restaurants.

“It is really fun. There’s so much to look at, it’s very vibrant and colorful,” Sias said, adding that she also liked the old comics and decorative signs hung on the walls.

Both Sias and Rasmussen went to the store to find interesting gifts in the store for friends and family.

For Christmas, Sias said she bought a variety of different candy from the store to give to her friends, “especially all of the Harry Potter candies.”

Rasmussen said that they bought their dad a “joke Christmas gift” of rubber chickens that could stretch on your finger to shoot.