Hyper Energy Bar, Iowa City’s newest energy drink franchise, opened Wednesday, bringing a new caffeine option to the Iowa City community.
In the small space that houses Hyper Energy Bar, the white walls are offset by bright pops of green and yellow in the counter. A black and yellow mural on the wall depicts the Old Capitol Building, reminding customers that while the brand might have started in Waukee, Iowa, it is happy to now be in Iowa City.
Pop music blared through the store located at 115 E College St. that once served as ReUnion Brewery’s gift shop while baristas passed out brightly colored drinks in different shades of pink, blue, and purple. The energy drink bar’s opening day saw an almost constant line, with people at one point waiting in a line stretching out the door and down the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall.
Izzy Whalen, Hyper Energy Bar’s co-owner, said she has received demands to add a location to Iowa City since she and her husband, Chris Whalen, began the business and opened their first location in July 2021. The business, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, offers coffee, smoothies, and infused energy drinks in set flavors along with a rotating seasonal menu.
Izzy Whalen added that the company puts emphasis on hiring students and has been able to reconnect with past employees who are now in the Iowa City area. The business held an open interview on Sept. 25 and had over 200 people show up — a record number for the company.
“Serving this community and rehiring a lot of these girls and guys who have been working for us for years is kind of really special. So, we’re really happy to open this location and serve this community,” Izzy Whalen said.
Hyper Energy Bar in Iowa City donated all the proceeds from Wednesday’s opening to the Iowa City Community School District Foundation, a tradition continued from other Hyper locations’ opening days.
Iowa City marks the seventh Hyper location, with the other six spanning across the state. The Pedestrian Mall location is the company’s first walk-in store, with the other six locations being drive-through. Izzy Whalen said she and her husband’s dream is to one day make the brand national.
“We’re slowly expanding through the Midwest and then going to new markets,” Izzy Whalen said. “We’re going to Kansas City, we’re going to Nebraska — hopefully make our way through Illinois.”
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Despite the cold winds and snow that plagued Iowa City most of Wednesday, customers were still packed against the back windows of the business in the late afternoon. Grace Tomlinson, a University of Iowa second-year student, ordered the “Pink Power” drink on the business’s opening day, which is an energy drink mixed with strawberry, watermelon, and white chocolate.
“We have something similar to it in our hometown, so we wanted to try this one, see how it was,” Tomlinson said. “And it’s something different than a coffee.”
UI second-year student Grace Sherman also tried the “Pink Power” drink and enjoyed it. Sherman added she has visited the Des Moines Hyper Energy Bar location before.
“I went to the drive-through, so this is kind of different,” Sherman said.
Sherman said she likes the walk-up structure of the store better than the drive-through method offered by other Hyper Energy Bars.
“Not on this cold, snowy day, but yes, I do [like it more],” Sherman said.
Izzy Whalen said around 70 percent of the customers she talked to on opening day knew what Hyper was previously or had tried a drink in the past. She said she is excited to continue serving the Iowa City community going forward.
“We’re super happy to be here. This community is really hyped and fun,” Izzy Whalen said. “We hope to hype the community and make a big impact today.”