The Road Trip Destination Guide » Old Soda Shop

City Drug in Jacksboro Texas

sam — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:51:26 +0000

The City Drug Store, on the town square in Jacksboro Texas, is a great example of an old fashioned drug store. They do a good business filling prescriptions and selling all the various merchandise sold in an old drug store. They also do a brisk business at the lunch counter and soda fountain. In the classic tradition of the small town drug store, the counter with its twelve stools is a popular place for locals to gather and enjoy good company.

Gallery

No one seemed to know for sure, but I’m guessing there’s been a drug store at this location for a long time. City Drug has been owned and operated by the Hammond family since 1960. One of the owners told me the store has been basically the same since 1960. She told me, at some point in the past the soda fountain and counter were swapped from one side of the store to the other, but not much else has changed over the several decades since the 1960′s.

City Drug definitely has the look of the 1960′s. Formica counter tops in period colors rather than marble. Bright stainless steel back counter and fixtures rather than dark wood. As you walk in the front door the lunch counter and soda fountain are on the right and a display case and some retail shelves are on the left. Beyond the counter is an area to the right with six quaint little wooden booths. Mirrored walls and some charming old soda shop signage decorate this area. As you head further back into the store it’s a classic (and busy) drug store.

Oh, I almost forgot. City Drug in Jacksboro Texas was a Rexall drug store and still displays much of its original Rexall signage. See some of the pictures for examples.

I had a cheeseburger and a milkshake — both were good. Service was good. Place was squeaky clean; so clean that you notice clean.

There’s some subtle difference here in Jacksboro and in other small towns like it in rural Texas. Big box retailers are noticeably absent. Passed over by retail progress, the nearest Walmart is 25 miles away. I’ll let you decide if that’s good or bad, but the end result is that long standing local institutions like the corner drug store still exist. The community is still unique, its culture still intact, and if you pay attention, you just might notice the difference.

What’s Close By

Fort Richardson State Park is just outside Jacksboro. A frontier fort established in 1867, today interesting for the remnants of frontier life and the trails within the park.

Location

City Drug
104 East Belknap St.
Jacksboro, TX 76458
Corner of Belknap & Main, On the Square

County: Jack
Map

Big State Drug in Irving Texas

sam — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:02:32 +0000

I was in Irving for my niece’s 6th birthday party at Incredible Pizza Company. That put me a few miles from Big State Drug in the Irving Texas Heritage District. The miracle in this story is that I remembered the place was there and that I wanted to go see it.

I got off Highway 183 at Irving Blvd, which is highway 356, by the way, drove along for a while and came to the Irving Heritage District. Have to admit I didn’t know it was there. It’s the old part of Irving Texas where the town was founded. The Heritage District is an interesting side story, but your going to have to write that chapter yourself. They have a web site if your interested.

Big State Drug is at the intersection of Main Street and Irving Boulevard, one block from the birthplace of Irving. The place has been in busienss since 1948. The red and blue neon signs outside was a pleasant surprise. Once inside, the place said 1950′s to me. Big State Drug hasn’t changed much. That’s on purpose they told me and they intend to keep the place just like it is for a while longer. Business in the pharmacy is good plus they sell over the counter remedies and home medical equipment. Kind of like an old drug store if you can remember that far back.

What I went there for in the first place was the soda fountain. They make ice cream confections with Blue Bell Ice Cream and do quite a lot of breakfast and lunch business. The place has a real vintage feel. I’m not a real big fan of fancy and this place isn’t. It is a classic old lunch counter. They have the counter with old fashioned round stools and booths on both sides–with purple upholstery no less.

Big State seems to have a lot of regular customers that know each other and like to visit. Sheryl, my waitress, claimed to have worked there for 10 years. The cook, Leland, has 8 years to his credit. I noticed a 2006 article from D-Magazine on the wall, framed, giving him the nod for outstanding chili in the DFW Metroplex.

The atmosphere was friendly but not intrusive. None of that cheery crap like at franchised places. Just the important stuff: Is your food good? Do you need anything? You know, real service, not some crap cooked up by the marketing department at the corporate office in New Jersey. And, yes the food was good.

Go see the old neon signs. Eat if your hungry. Look around for a few minutes in the Heritage District. Enjoy the uniqueness of the moment. On most days, that’s as good as it gets.

Location

100 E Irving Blvd
Irving, TX 75060

County: Dallas

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Miller’s Pharmacy in Cooper Texas

sam — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:02:54 +0000

Miller’s Pharmacy has occupied its current location on the corner of the town square in Cooper Texas since some time in the 1930′s. Still operated by the Miller family and still largely the same as it was years ago. Miller’s, and much of the town square in Cooper, apparently changed very little in the past several decades. Like many other small Texas towns: a victim of rural flight. Thanks to a dearth of progress in Cooper Texas, Miller’s is an amazingly authentic 1930′s soda shop.

Gallery

Amber Pompa wrote a great article about Mabel Wheat and Miller’s Pharmacy for the Greenville Herald Banner. Amber did a wonderful job of telling the story of Mabel Wheat as well as the history of Miller’s Pharmacy. She also captured, sometimes within quotes and sometimes without, an interesting regional dialect Mrs. Wheat favors. I’d noticed Mrs. Wheat’s unique way of saying things, and I thought it was wonderful to encounter someone so intimately linked to the region they herald from. Many people today, myself included, move around or travel and communicate with people from different regions of America to the extent that we have no discernible dialect. We speak English in a sort of bland homogenized national-speak. Mrs Wheat, bless her, has lived her whole long life in Cooper Texas and you can sense that when she speaks.

Two Stories

Really there are two stories here: Miller’s and Mabel Wheat. Mabel Wheat began working at Miller’s in 1951 after her two boys had “grown up enough.” An absolute expert at her craft, there’s a certain majesty about her as she works. Mabel Wheat’s real story is more about putting down roots and becoming part of a community than the chocolate sodas she’s so proficient at making. Her regular customers enjoy her company. Casual conversation comes easy at Miller’s.

Miller’s Pharmacy is an amazing example of an old time pharmacy and soda fountain. The store fixtures and decorations all look to be from a different era. The soda fountain, the counter with black marble counter top, the back counter with mirror, the tile floor, the soda-shop tables, many of the old fixtures and tools used at the fountain; they are all original and quite old. As a matter of full disclosure, a very long time ago I worked for a company that manufactured ice cream and serviced fountain equipment. I saw equipment and tools at Miller’s that I’m very sure haven’t been available for at least 50 years, or more. They also have a freezer and make their own ice cream.

The pharmacy part of the business was closed a while ago, but much of the pharmacy counter, displays and sundry items that populated a drug store years ago still remain. There’s a wall of old photos, and plenty of memorabilia on the walls and in the display cases.

This place is a jewel.

More Information

Miller’s Pharmacy
On the town square
100 E Dallas Ave
Cooper, Texas 75432

County:Delta

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Old Doc’s Soda Shop in Dublin Texas

sam — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:04:30 +0000

Old Doc’s Soda Shop, at the Dublin Dr Pepper bottling plant in Dublin Texas, is the home of a great old fashioned soda fountain. Although this soda shop is not particularly old, the fact that it’s contained within the oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant in the world makes it a good stand in for an authentic old soda shop.

The soda fountain at Dublin Dr Pepper was added in 1995. The counter, cabinets and fixtures appear to be a combination of both old and new equipment. The dark wood back counter, cabinets and mirrors have an authentic old time look to them. The white Formica front counter with it’s gleaming chrome and stainless fixtures look too good to be very old. There are no stools at the counter. Seating is at quaint little tables throughout the room.

Dr Pepper is the underlying theme here. Dr Pepper art and memorabilia grace the walls and shelves. One corner of the room contains a little gift shop. Dublin Dr Pepper is available for sale in both bottles and cans.

Old Doc’s soda Shop is just one of several attractions at the Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Plant. They also conduct tours of the plant and have a Dr Pepper Museum. The business has a unique history that’s presented by knowledgeable guides during plant tours. If your interested, they have a Web site that tells the history of Dublin Dr Pepper.

Bottom line: fun and upbeat place with an eclectic mix of Dr Pepper history and other old stuff. Be sure to try the Dr Pepper Float.

Location

Dublin Dr Pepper and Old Doc’s Soda Shop
105 E. Elm
Dublin, TX 76446
888-398-1024

http://www.olddocs.com/

County: Erath

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Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream in Denton Texas

sam — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:31:05 +0000

Beth Marie’s is a charming ice cream and soda shop on the Square in Denton Texas. This shop has so many of the features of an old time soda shop: authentic old building with presses tin ceilings, checkered floor, quaint soda shop tables, and an impressive counter complete with stools.

They’re doing all the things that made the old soda shops grand, yet Beth Marie’s opened for business in 1998. They mix carbonated drinks from syrup and soda water. They make real ice cream sodas, and believe it or not they actually make their own ice cream!

They make more flavors of ice cream than will fit on the menu. Be prepared to do some major decision making because the flavor options are extensive. A long time ago when soda fountains were a relatively new thing, say 80 years ago, ice cream wasn’t a commodity item like it is now. Shops made their own ice cream, much like Beth Marie’s does today.

Besides the great frozen treats, Beth Marie’s serves lunch: sandwiches and soups. They also do catering and parties.

Beth Marie’s is located on the Square in Denton Texas. Denton has an active downtown with plenty to do and see. Unlike so many other old town squares in Texas, Denton’s downtown is a lively place. Because there are residential neighborhoods close by, and also because the University of North Texas campus is just down the road, locals frequent the square. The courthouse lawn is a gathering place where people come to meet and hang out. Musicians frequently gather and play. On top of all this, the courthouse is open to the public, not only during the week—but on Saturday as well.

Location

Beth Maire’s
117 West Hickory St.
Denton, Texas 76201

County: Denton

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Highland Park Pharmacy

sam — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:41:05 +0000

Highland Park Texas got its name because it sat on high land overlooking Dallas, and because of a plan to reserve 20% of the developed land for parks. Wilbur David Cook, who was one of the the planners of Beverly Hills, California, laid out the plans for development of the area. incorporated in 1913 as Highland Park. The 3rd wealthiest location in Texas by per capita income according to the Wikipedia.

Highland Park Pharmacy, an old-time soda fountain, lunch counter, and pharmacy in operation since 1912. Today owned by Sonny and Gretchen Minyard Williams. They strive to maintain the original charm of this storied old pharmacy and soda fountain.

Today almost out of place among the high priced commercial space surrounding Highland Park Pharmacy. On-street parking is in short supply and you may have to drive around. Unlike some other old soda fountains in Texas, this one is in the heart of the Twin Cities are in Dallas.

The soda jerks can make you a strong Coke or an ice cream soda. The chicken salad sandwich is legendary. The current owners have made a great effort to preserve the essence of an old pharmacy and soda shop. Many of the store fixtures, flooring, lights, even little details like the 5 cent suckers at the cash register. Their not 5 cents anymore, but the attention to detail was evident.

Just a few blocks off 75 Central Express Way on Knox Street. If your in the area consider stopping.

Location
3229 Knox St
Dallas TX 75205

County: Dallas
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Caleb’s Diner in Corsicana Texas

sam — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:58:26 +0000

As I drove up North Beaton Street in Corsicana looking for Caleb’s Diner, I watched the historic store fronts slowly slip by. I drove along and then, there it was, 125 N. Beaton St, but the sign said “Dee’s Place.” Later I would find out that Dee was the previous owner, but for that moment I knew numbers don’t lie, so I turned the corner looking for a place to park.

There on the side of the building was proof positive I had arrived at a long established soda shop. That proof came in the form of a very old Dr. Pepper sign on the side of the building and another sign next to it declaring a soda fountain was just around the corner. Out of the car and across the street I went.

As I walked in the front door, the very first thing I noticed was the soda fountain and counter on the right side of the diner, just a little beyond the cash register and juke box which populate the very front of the store. The counter seems long with its eight red vinyl upholstered stools. A black counter top contrasts with vintage stainless steel behind the counter. The whole setup is reminiscent of a 1950′s lunch counter. The soda fountain and syrup dispensers look quite vintage and probably predate the rest of the fixtures.

Beyond the Counter on the right are several booths, upholstered in red vinyl, then further back in the store several more tables. The walls of the store are a mix of pegboards and wooden shelving. Just about every place I look, I find Coke and Dr. Pepper memorabilia and antiques. Other items on display tell the story of this business which has a long history going back to 1905. There’s an old red Coke case at the end of the lunch counter, apparently still working. Atop the counter are two old soda dispensers, not working, but which no doubt served this business for years.

All the antiques and memorabilia, the soda fountain, and the old fixtures collectively document the provenance of this old soda shop and lunch counter. Caleb’s Diner claims to be the oldest continually operated soda fountain in Texas. As evidence of their claim, the current owners tell an interesting story of the ownership and history of the business dating back to 1905.

I can’t vouch for the authenticity of their claim. What I can tell you is that my drink was made the old fashioned way, mixed from Dr. Pepper syrup and stir, stir, stirred. There’s a real sense of tradition at Caleb’s. Roseann, soda jerk the day of my visit, told me she had worked at the store for two owners and for 15 years, and she “still loves it.” Caleb’s Diner definitely doesn’t have the “shiny as new” look of a freshly minted reproduction of an old soda shop. No, this is definitely the genuine article.

More Information:
Caleb’s Diner
125 N. Beaton St.
Corsicana, Texas

County: Navarro
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