Steve Pool has lead several church missions for Gore United Methodist Church. The name Soda Steve’s came from the second Church Mission to thecountry of Costa Rica. While leading a mission team of twelve, inFebruary of 2004, Steve Pool, Soda Steve’s chef/creator/namesake, andhis team roomed in various homes and open air buildings in the smalltown of Matina on the east coast of Costa Rica. Matina is akin to oneof the old western towns in the America of the past.

Situated in a hot steamy area of the country, sporting old open airbuilding on streets of dirt and gravel that became mug bogs duringdaily rains of the Caribbean, complete with an assortment of barefootchildren and underfed canines and old Costa Rican men sitting on thesteps playing their version of dominos. Steve’s mission team took alldaily meals at a small café that was owned by the wife of a MethodistMinister, her name was Brenda.

In Costa Rica it is customary for the owner of the establishment toinclude their name with the type of eatery on the sign above theestablishment, thus “Soda Brenda”. Soda Brenda was a very small openair café which is situated in the middle of thousands of acres ofBanana Groves with Dole Pineapple fields to the south. Brenda had awonderful and inviting personality always glad to see the team and evenmore eager to please them with her authentic Costa Rican Cuisine. SodaBrenda had a seating capacity of about 14 guests, and served homecooked meals with a Costa Rican touch using lots of fresh bananas andpineapples all prepared by Brenda. Drinks consisted of Light Pineapplepunch or sodas purchased from the rustic glass bottle Coke machine. Allof these contribute to the rustic Caribbean retro feel and name of SodaSteve’s. Over the course of the mission, team members began to urgeSteve to change the name of the quick service restaurant at Fin andFeather Resort from the Verandah to Soda Steve’s