Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda Contact

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Old School Haunts

With a long history dating dorsum to the early 19th century, soda fountains have long been stylishly appointed destinations that attracted all ages, whether it was for a refreshingly carbonated soda water, a supposed medicinal remedy, or only an ice cream treat. During Prohibition, the popularity of soda fountains surged equally they replaced bars as the community social center, and their popularity continued to abound over the decades. While the number of soda fountains across the U.Due south. declined dramatically showtime in the 1970s, there are still enough of old fashioned soda fountains — and some newbies — operating across the country serving up archetype treats like floats, malts, phosphates, sundaes, and diner fare that volition transport customers dorsum to the past.

Related: The 20 Oldest Ice Foam Shops in America

Zaharakos | Columbus, Indiana

Zaharakos originally opened in 1900, and the interior is still a gem. A long, white marble bar and soda fountain are surrounded by intricate oak detailing and Tiffany-style stained glass, including a huge and intricate lamp on the bar. There'south then much history here that there'due south even a soda fountain museum on the second floor, featuring soda fountains and syrup dispensers from the 1800s.

Zaharakos: Don't Miss

The onyx soda fountain serves up carbonated water for sodas in all kinds of flavors, including Green River, Dr. Pepper, and a multifariousness of flavored Cokes, including chocolate, red raspberry, and cinnamon. Try a Gom sandwich, which is their version of the sloppy joe, and and then finish your repast with a brownie sundae or The Big Z with five scoops of water ice cream and iii toppings.

La King's Confectionery, Galveston, TX — La King's Confectionery/yelp.com

La King's Confectionery | Galveston, Texas

La King's is a sugar wonderland. Besides operating a vintage 1920s soda fountain, the owners make their own candy, including salt water taffy, divinity, pralines, and all kinds of chocolates. They utilize 19th-century formulas and recipes, and you lot can watch the whole process from the dining area. Jimmy King started making candy back in 1927, and in 1976, his son opened the current iteration of the business concern.

La King'southward Confectionery: Don't Miss

At the soda fountain in La Male monarch'south, you can become Purity Ice Cream, the oldest brand of ice cream in Texas. It dates back to 1889, when information technology opened in Galveston. La King'due south is now the only spot you can get it, and the company produces but enough to fill the tubs in the fountain. A scoop of coffee bean bit is great on its own, but is even better blended into a frappe.

Aglamesis Brothers | Cincinnati

Brothers Thomas and Nicholas Aglamesis, immigrants from Greece, founded their first soda fountain in 1908. During the Great Low, it was named Aglamesis Brothers, and now the third generation of the family operates the soda fountain and candy company. The interior is simple and beautiful, with a white marble soda fountain, stake pink accents and Tiffany-style floral lamps on the bar.

Aglamesis Brothers: Don't Miss

The ice cream at Aglamesis Brothers is homemade with simple ingredients, as is the sorbet-like Italian ice that comes in flavors like champagne and ruddy raspberry — both of which match the pinkish decor. If a plain cone isn't fancy enough for you, try one of the gourmet sundaes, many of which come with chocolate water ice foam. The raspberry hot fudge is made with chocolate ice cream, fresh-crushed raspberry sauce, hot fudge, and plenty of whipped cream.

Goolrick's Pharmacy, Fredericksburg, VA — Courtesy of tripadvisor.com

Goolrick's Chemist's shop | Fredericksburg, Virginia

Though Goolrick's has changed hands a few times since information technology opened in 1867, it bills itself as the nation's oldest continually operating soda fountain. It's besides nevertheless a full pharmacy as well, and the owner/chemist fifty-fifty hand-delivers prescriptions to customers in the area, only like long ago. Despite a recent renovation, the soda fountain counter however maintains its retro charm.

Goolrick'southward Pharmacy: Don't Miss

The fountain carte du jour hasn't changed much at Goolrick's, and the shop is well-known for its chicken salad sandwiches. Liverwurst and cream cheese and olive sandwiches are tasty blasts from the by. Flavored sodas like chocolate Coke and cherry smash make great floats with a big scoop of vanilla water ice cream.

Brooklyn Farmacy, New York, NY — Courtesy of tripadvisor.com

Brooklyn Farmacy | Brooklyn, New York

The Brooklyn Farmacy only opened in 2010, but it feels like it'due south been open for decades longer. It's housed in a space that was one time an apothecary called Longos Chemist's shop, which operated beginning around the 1920s to the 1960s, followed by several more pharmacy-related incarnations earlier being abandoned for over a decade. The renovation piece of work that the space required was almost too much for electric current owners Peter and Gia Freeman to take on, and their vision of a modern twist on the classic soda fountain nearly fizzled. Only a risk encounter led to Brooklyn Farmacy being featured on the TV prove "Construction Intervention," and the pair received the helping hand and TV magic needed to bring the dream to life.

Brooklyn Farmacy: Don't Miss

Now the Farmacy serves as a customs gathering spot for the neighborhood. Customers come and relish egg creams, specialty sundaes similar the Elvis with homemade peanut butter and bacon crumbles, and a menu of archetype sandwiches like egg salad and pastrami.

The Ice Cream Bar | San Francisco

The Ice Cream Bar is then lovely it looks similar it was taken right off a movie set. Modeled later a 1930s-era soda fountain, it features fine art deco decor with clean lines and mirrors reminiscent of a vintage train dining car. The soda fountain itself was originally from Mackinaw Urban center, Michigan and was driven across the state to its new home.

The Ice Foam Bar: Don't Miss

Everything at The Water ice Cream Bar is made from scratch, including their ice cream, waffle cones, candies, tinctures, syrups, and even the breadstuff for their sandwiches. BLT sandwiches on thick toast are made with heirloom tomato slices and served with homemade pickles. Alcohol is served also, and then you can society "remedies" — drinks with ingredients like vermouth in addition to phosphates and honey ice cream.

Shady Glen Dairy Stores, Manchester, CT — Steven P./yelp.com

Shady Glen | Manchester, Connecticut

John and Bernice Rieg opened the first Shady Glen Dairy Store in 1948. They owned a dairy subcontract, and were looking for a way to diversify their business, so they started making ice cream. Today, not much has changed in the diner-similar eatery, where shakes served in a glass alongside the extra in the metal mixing cup are still popular.

Shady Glen: Don't Miss

Besides sundaes topped with hot butterscotch or maple nut toppings, Shady Glen'due south most popular item is Bernice'southward cheeseburger. Every bit the burger cooks on the flattop, four pieces of cheese are shingled on top, coming into direct contact with the griddle. That cheese turns into a crispy ring around the beef, almost similar a cracker. It'south and then unique and love that it was recognized in 2012 past the James Beard Foundation as an American classic.

Doc's Soda Fountain, Girard, IL — DocsSodaFountain/facebook.com

Doc'due south Soda Fountain | Girard, Illinois

Scores of people bulldoze down historic Route 66 every year, and many of them end at Doc'south Soda Fountain. It opened in 1884 as Deck's Drug Store, and the soda fountain was added in 1929 during Prohibition. Information technology was run past three generations of the Deck family, and and then reopened in 2007 as Doc's Soda Fountain with new ownership under the watchful optics of the Deck brothers.

Physician's Soda Fountain: Don't Miss

The Deck brothers realized that they had a treasure trove of antique drug store and soda fountain artifacts that weren't being used (and some that yet are, like the fountain itself!), so they created a pharmacy museum inside the space. On display are all kinds of antiquarian medicine bottles, boxes, and drug store items from the Deck family's history. It's a dandy trip down memory lane while sipping on a jerk-poured dark-green river or cherry Coke soda.

The Pickwick Pharmacy and Soda Fountain, Greenville, SC — Jeff Due east./yelp.com

The Pickwick Pharmacy and Soda Fountain | Greenville, South Carolina

The history of soda fountains and pharmacies are inextricably linked thanks to the 19th-century belief that sodas could function as medicinal remedies. There are a few soda fountains that all the same act as mod day pharmacies, like The Pickwick. Currently run by the third generation of the Odom family unit, information technology opened in 1947 and sports both a soda fountain counter and a retail shop and chemist's today.

The Pickwick Chemist's and Soda Fountain: Don't Miss

The chrome-covered vintage soda fountain restaurant was airtight for a period, but in 2007 was renovated and brought dorsum to its former glory. Information technology features 20 flavors of ice cream and seating for most 50 people. The simple menu includes sandwiches like the Southern staple pimento cheese and chili dogs, flavored Cokes, ice cream sodas and floats, and banana splits.

Elliston Place Soda Shop, Nashville, TN — epsodashop/facebook.com

Elliston Place Soda Shop | Nashville, Tennessee

The Elliston Identify Soda Store, operating since 1939, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a popular spot for photo shoots, movie filming, and music videos due to its vintage charm. Each booth has a mini jukebox on the wall, but if you sit down on a red vinyl stool at the counter, you lot'll have to apply the jukebox at the back.

Elliston Identify Soda Shop: Don't Miss

The food at Elliston Identify is classic Southern cuisine. Biscuits, grits, and land ham are morning become-tos, while the meat-and-3 menu with fried catfish and pot roast is popular for lunch and dinner. A thick-sliced, fried bologna-and-cheese sandwich served with Duke'south mayonnaise is something anybody should attempt at least once. If you lot all the same have room, a butterscotch malt, banana pudding, or banana split wait for dessert.

Clinton's Soda Fountain, Independence, MO — Courtesy of tripadvisor.com

Clinton's Soda Fountain | Independence, Missouri

Though Clinton's Soda Fountain only dates to 1988, a young Harry Truman used to be a soda wiggle in the very same 1800s-era building. Before it became Clinton's, the building housed a pharmacy, shoe shop, jewelry shop, and another soda fountain. The marble bar peak is 100 years old, and the wood back bar came from some other soda fountain in Kansas.

Clinton's Soda Fountain: Don't Miss

Yous can still order Harry Truman's favorite item: a sundae fabricated with chocolate water ice foam and butterscotch sauce. If that doesn't fit the bill, there'southward always a classic grasshopper with mint scrap ice cream, hot fudge, and Oreos. Phosphates are available in 14 different flavors, ranging from the old favorite, grape, to more than mod mango.

Leopold'south Ice Cream | Savannah, Georgia

Founded in 1919 by three brothers from Greece, Leopold's is now owned by one of their sons. Stratton Leopold learned to brand ice cream in the shop as a child alongside his father and uncles. He left the business to pursue a career in Hollywood, and he's now a producer. He has worked on films like "Mission: Impossible Three" and "The Sum of All Fears." In 2004, he decided to recreate his male parent's concern, including the black marble soda fountain and telephone booth.

Leopold'southward Ice Cream: Don't Miss

The signature ice cream flavor at Leopold'due south is tutti frutti, a bright-pink mix of rum-flavored water ice foam, candied fruit, and Georgia pecans. It's been served since they opened, forth with the lemon custard and rum bisque flavors. Also all kinds of ice cream treats, you lot can get Greek yogurt parfaits, shrimp salad sandwiches, and social club sandwiches made with meats roasted in-house.

Hillside Farmacy, Austin, TX — Noreen T./yelp.com

Hillside Farmacy | Austin, Texas

Hillside Drugstore was originally opened in the 1950s by pharmacist Medico Immature and his family. A couple decades subsequently it airtight, and the building stood vacant for many years until the Hillside Farmacy owners lovingly restored it. It now features copper-topped tables, hexagonal white tile floors, pikestaff chairs, and a cute green-lit bar display.

Hillside Farmacy: Don't Miss

Hillside Farmacy is as much a eating place and bar as it is a soda fountain. The carte du jour of modernistic, locally-sourced dishes includes winter squash bisque, crab cakes, kale caesar salad, and oxtail ragout. Its homemade fountain sodas contain season combinations similar strawberry, basil, and balsamic, and can be made with alcohol. Check out the weekday happy hour for discounts on food and drinks.

Shug's Soda Fountain + Ice Cream, Seattle, WA — shugssodafountain/facebook.com

Shug'southward Soda Fountain + Water ice Cream | Seattle

Located in the iconic Motorway Identify Market, Shug's is a new soda fountain that'southward serving up modern versions of favorite classics. The space is brilliant and cheery with pastel colors, dark-green plants, and a map of Seattle on an accent wall.

Shug'southward Soda Fountain + Ice Cream: Don't Miss

Syrups, sauces, and toppings at Shug'due south are homemade, and the store serves local Lopez Island Creamery ice cream. Specialty sundaes are outstanding and ofttimes awe-inspiring, including the Southward'more with homemade marshmallows toasted on tiptop, and the Crescent Moon with masala chai sauce over salted caramel ice foam and cinnamon toast brioche croutons. Shug'due south also serves alcohol, so attempt a refreshing prosecco float with peach sorbet.

Lagomarcino's | Moline, Illinois

With two locations in the Quad Cities, Lagomarcino's has been in concern since the Lagomarcino family opened information technology 1908. The shop makes its own candies in the original copper kettle, too equally its own water ice cream for all the soda fountain treats. The shop is at present beingness run the fourth generation of family members.

Lagomarcino's: Don't Miss

Don't go to Lagomarcino's without getting a hot fudge sundae. The recipe for the bloodshot fudge sauce was sold to the family past a peddler in 1918 for $25 and the shop still makes information technology the same way. It's served in a little glass mug alongside the ice cream. That manner, y'all can pour it on yourself and avoid too much melted ice cream before digging in.

Chugwater Soda Fountain | Chugwater, Wyoming

If you've ever wanted to sip a chocolate malt under the watchful eyes of a beloved taxidermied elk named Wendall, and so the Chugwater Soda Fountain should be on your saucepan listing. Everything nigh it feels very Wild West, right downward to the building that was built in 1914. The town but has about 200 people living in it, then it serves as a community watering hole. You may exist one of only a few people siding up to the worn wooden stools, merely fifty-fifty v others is a sizeable portion of the local population.

Chugwater Soda Fountain: Don't Miss

A big basin of chili or a barbeque beefiness sandwich are diner favorites at Chugwater. Breakfast is as hearty, with biscuits and cream gravy or breakfast burritos smothered in light-green chili. Shakes, malts, and sodas are available in myriad flavors, including unusual ones like Irish cream, toasted marshmallow, and macadamia nut.

Crown Candy Kitchen, St. Louis, MO — crowncandykitchen/facebook.com

Crown Processed Kitchen | St. Louis

Crown Candy Kitchen is the oldest soda fountain in St. Louis, having opened in 1913. It's still being run by the founders' iii grandsons, plus their children help out as well. The dining room has small wooden booths and antiquarian Coca-Cola signs and ephemera on the walls. They make all their own candy, desserts, and soda fountain treats.

Crown Candy Kitchen: Don't Miss

Crown Candy is popular at dejeuner and dinner with their carte of substantial sandwiches and chili. The Centre Stopping BLT includes a mound of crispy salary piled onto thick-cut staff of life. Malts fabricated with homemade ice cream are the must-endeavour here, including the Johnny Rabbit Special, a banana malt with whipped cream, nuts, and nutmeg. If you can finish v malts in xxx minutes, you get your name on a plaque on the wall. Only about xxx people have finished them all since 1913.

The Franklin Fountain: Philadelphia

Inspired by a marble portrait of Ben Franklin, who began his adult life nearby in the Old Urban center neighborhood of Philadelphia, brothers Ryan and Eric Berley opened the Franklin Fountain in 2004. The corner store's design looks older than most, with a tin ceiling, dark wood signs and accents, and a wooden-and-stained glass dorsum bar.

The Franklin Fountain: Don't Miss

All of the sauces and ice creams are made in house at the Franklin Fountain. Hydrox, the chocolate sandwich cookie that was invented before the Oreo, takes its place in vanilla ice foam. The root beer is made with brown saccharide, anise, birch, cinnamon and sassafras, and makes an splendid float. Phosphates are made the onetime fashioned way with a couple drops of citric or phosphoric acid to give them bite.

Spinning J | Chicago

Located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, Spinning J is a mod soda fountain and pie shop. The 1928 marble soda fountain, stools and brass foot rail were salvaged from a basement outside Milwaukee. Now customers can enjoy it one time once more in a cozy infinite with rich, warm dark-brown and gold color scheme.

Spinning J: Don't Miss

All the soda syrups are made in house and come in unique flavors similar passion fruit, grapefruit ginseng, and Thai tea egg cream. Gelato is used hither, not ice cream, then add together a scoop for a float. The owners previously ran a pie business organisation, so it's always a great idea to club a slice of due south'mores pie, or even a savory craven or saag paneer pot pie for lunch.

Fair Oaks Pharmacy | South Pasadena, California

A combination soda fountain, diner, chemist's shop and toy store, Fair Oaks Pharmacy offers something everyone will relish. They get all-out with decorations for just well-nigh every holiday, and there'southward a large, nostalgic toy and processed section of the shop. It'south been a well-known stop virtually the stop of Route 66 since 1915.

Fair Oaks Pharmacy: Don't Miss

Fair Oaks' lengthy nutrient menu includes diner classics like pastrami, club sandwiches, patty melts and burgers topped with bacon and avocado. Shakes and malts are made with an unabridged pint of ice foam and can be topped with hot fudge, crushed cookies, or banana slices. The Kitchen Sink sundae serves at least four people with viii scoops of ice foam and eight toppings. If that's a piddling too much for y'all, try a lime rickey or a tart lemon phosphate.

Brent's Drugs, Jackson, MS — brentsdrugs/facebook.com

Brent's Drugs | Jackson, Mississippi

Brent's Drugs opened in 1946, and the soda fountain and archetype bar stools are still in the same place today as they were back then. The large dining space was renovated in 2014, only has kept its charm with stainless steel accents and bright teal banquettes, stools, and chairs. Large windows let people encounter everything going on inside under an orange neon sign.

Brent's Drugs: Don't Miss

The lengthy food menu is full of Southern specialties, similar fried chicken beige sandwiches with dearest or jelly, and a lodge sandwich made with pimento cheese. A basin of cheese grits makes every breakfast extra filling. Shakes help wash everything down and come in flavors similar the Ginger Finger with Butterfinger processed and ginger syrup. Always ask well-nigh the pie of the day, and always get it a la mode.

Model Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM — modelpharmacycafe/facebook.com

Model Pharmacy | Albuquerque, New United mexican states

Though information technology'due south located across the street from Walgreen's, Model Pharmacy continues to do a steady retail business organization of upscale men's and women's grooming products, fragrances, soaps, and other pharmacy odds and ends. It's been open since 1947, and the store includes a vintage soda fountain serving everything from carmine cobbler to egg salad sandwiches.

Model Pharmacy: Don't Miss

Model Chemist's is a great place to get a lemon or lime rickey. The juice is squeezed fresh and then mixed with sugar and soda water for a refreshing care for. Go far a phosphate for an extra-tart crease, or make information technology a creamy float with a scoop of water ice foam. The shop fifty-fifty serves New York-mode egg creams made with milk, syrup, and soda water.

St. Francis Fountain | San Francisco

The St. Francis Fountain was founded in 1912, and it got a complete makeover and renovation in 2002. Now it's one of the city's most beloved diners and soda fountains and a favorite spot to grab a casual breakfast or lunch, or buy a treat from the big and hard-to-discover candy drove. While the inside is fairly nondescript with the usual long dining counter, the outside neon signs are iconic.

St. Francis Fountain: Don't Miss

The breakfast carte at St. Francis Fountain is a standout, and includes everything from standard scrambles and pancakes to a superb huevos rancheros. Chicken cilantro soup and patty melts are favorites at luncheon. Wash it all down with a Dreamsicle, a rich drink concoction fabricated with milk, orange juice, vanilla syrup, orange sherbert, vanilla ice foam and whipped cream.

Eddie's Sweet Shop | New York

Eddie's Sweetness Store is the oldest ice cream shop in New York City, having opened in 1925. Nothing has really changed much inside, including the equipment, like a decades-old refrigerator. At that place's lots of night wood, well-worn stools at the bar, and tile mosaic floors.

Eddie's Sweetness Store: Don't Miss

All of the water ice foam at Eddie'southward is made on the premises using recipes from the original owners in flavors like pistachio pineapple and rum raisin. The sundaes are legendary for their massive size and the footed dishes they're served in. Stop at the candy counter on your way out for even more sugar to take dwelling house with you.

Fort Davis Drug Store & Hotel, Fort Davis, TX — Courtesy of tripadvisor.com

Fort Davis Drug Store & Hotel | Fort Davis, Texas

The Fort Davis Drug Store first opened in 1913 inside the Hotel Limpia. In 1950, the business was moved across the street to where it is today. It's however got a red-topped 22-foot-long soda fountain and withal operates as a hotel. A wooden exterior facade and Mission-style dark wood booths within requite it a Western feel.

Fort Davis Drug Store & Hotel: Don't Miss

The food at Fort Davis Drug Store is uncomplicated and filling, similar biscuits and foam gravy for breakfast. Third-pound hamburgers and cheeseburgers are piled high with toppings in a toasted bun, while chicken-fried steak is a Texas archetype. Cherry limeades and milkshakes are popular in the summer oestrus, and bootleg daily pies are great anytime, even breakfast.