Does Anyone Remember Old-Fashioned Soda Fountains?
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
United States
July 4, 2007 3:43pm CST
When I was a kid, I used to love to go to the local drug store and visit the soda fountain. It was actually a famous chain that recently closed down within the last five years - I just can't remember the name of it. Whether it was summer time and I indulged my taste buds in an old fashioned milk shake, banana split or hot fudge sundae or Christmas time while shopping for gifts and treating myself to hot apple pie a la mode and hot chocolate, that soda fountain was always a real treat!
Then, when I went to boarding school, there was an old drug store in the town square that had an old-fashioned soda fountain so I would occasionally treat myself to something. Unfortunately, they tore it down a few years ago.
How about you guys? Did you ever have the treat of enjoying one of these old-fashioned soda fountains? You know, the kind they had in the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life?"
2 people like this
10 responses
@clocks123 (1225)
• United States
5 Jul 07
yes i remember the old fashioned soda fountain in my neighborhood i would stop in sometimes on my way home from school and i would ask for a vanilla coke at that time they put coca cola in the glass and added vanilla in it it sure did taste good and of course the ice cream was such a treat and it tasted so good those were good days
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
4 Jul 07
It's been a long time but I remember one from when I was little, probably 20 years ago or more. It was in a Newberry's store. I remember how I always wanted to sit at the counter on a stool but we always opted for the table because my grandmother always came with us and the table was easier for her. She loved going there for a treat though. She said it reminded her of when she was younger.
1 person likes this
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
5 Jul 07
This must have been before my time. I don't intend to make you feel old, but it does seem that I don't know what I missed. I do believe that I have seen them in some of the older movies & TV shows in which the setting was in the 1950's/1960's.
I'm not sure if this is true or not, but in my area, it seemed to have been replaced by Carvel ice cream shops, but the problem was, unlike soda fountains, there was usually no place to sit. Nowadays, I have not seen any Carvel stores around.
At rest stops on interstate highways, I have seen Ben & Jerry's ice cream shops, Baskin Robbins / Dunkin Donuts (usually two separate stores where counter people were running back & forth to help customers in both places) is what I see a lot more of, as well as fast-food burger places.
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
6 Jul 07
They probably are before your time but that's just part of life. You don't make me feel old because I'm young on the inside and intend to stay that way. I'm sorry for your generation missing out on so many wonderful things because of the rush, rush of these days. I have some wonderful memories of old fashioned soda fountains and would never trade them for the conveniences of today. I'm grateful I've experienced both the old stuff and the new especially since kids today have to grow up so fast and don't really get to be just kids anymore. I'm really glad I grew up when I did and get to enjoy the computer age as an adult.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
4 Jul 07
Yes I remeber the one back home in our town It wasn't part of a chain. It was a creamery that bout cream fresh from the farms. they would then take the ctream and make the ic cream that they used in the malts, soda, Banana splits and sundays, It was our regulat routen to stop just before we bought the groceries on our way home. That creamery had been there for years giving the farmer ther grocery money. Most of the farmers back then milked the cowsby hand. and seperated the cream from the milk the farmer was paid according to the butter fat in the milk. Things were so much easier back then believe it or not. Can you even get an old fashioned soda now. I'm not talking opo but the real soda.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Jul 07
I was just thinking about that the other day...there used to be an old-fashioned soda fountain a few blocks away from me...I remember the banana splits the folks there made..to die for!!..But the greatest treat of all time was the "eggcream"--a NY specialty...gee does anyone make that anymore?--It consists of chocolate syrup, some milk then a large spritz of seltzer...yum!!
1 person likes this
@bambi_doe (566)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I remember the ones they used to have in the woolworth store down town and as a little girl my mother and sister and I would hop on the city bus and go to the post office or shopping and we would get that special treat. What a special time it was. If you remember them then you should remember the old jute box music machines also. I still like listening to the oldies music of those days. The other day while at an auction house in another city they auctioned off one of the music boxes with all the oldie but goodie music in it. I started the bidding but was quickly out bid. The thing went for $4,500 and when they plugged it in it worked like brand new. Thanks for the memories. hugs
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
6 Jul 07
Thank you so much for reminding me of the name of the chain store I used to go to. It was Woolworth! I just couldn't think of it. Every Christmas time, my siblings and I would go to Woolworth to shop for gifts and gift wrap, etc. It brings back so many memories.
@tallpaulno44a (1574)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Oh yes, I remember. You could sit on the stool and spin, sip cherry cokes and eat a big ol' pretzel stick. For laughs, especially with a new soda jerk, you could order a "pine float" (glass of water with a toothpick floating in it). Ah, those were the days!
@saurabh_5b (81)
• India
5 Jul 07
sodas are famous in our part of the global in cities with tropical hot climate....had some of it when i used to go there..but i really liked them....
