Judith Martin | 07/29/2009 11:00 pm

Judith Martin Reflects on Her Experiences at Drugstores With Soda Fountains

In response to: Trader Vic's, Horn & Hardart, Schrafft's … What now-extinct food establishment still tugs at your memory?

Drugstores with soda fountains. Because my father specialized in what were then called Underdeveloped Countries (up from Backward Countries, but not yet up to Emerging Nations), we were always having to be immunized against hideous diseases. He believed in one-stop shots, so my brother and I would be hauled down to get four shots at once — in each arm and each leg. But it was worth it, because afterward he took us across the street to the drugstore and bought us ice cream sodas.

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Albuquerque is blessed in having one of the last of the "drugstores with soda fountains" of our youths. Model Pharmacy is one of a vanishing breed: independent pharmacy - not a chain - with just about the best soda fountain you could experience. plus sandwiches - it’s a malt shop as well as soda fountain. a great experience.

By Judy Hill on 07/30/2009 1:31 am

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Oh, yes! There was something wonderful in the old drugstore soda fountain atmosphere, wasn’t there? I recall one on the upper west side of New York, where I lived while in grad school - used to go over almost every day before heading downtown for my classes and have a vanilla coke and a cheeseburger (oh, those pre-cholesterol worry days!) And while there, I could spritz myself on the way out with one of the perfume sample bottles, skim through a magazine, and pick up any little sundry I might need. Plus, it was always a treat to see the fellow behind the counter operate: he was a genius of multi-tasking, as so many of the old-time soda jerk/countermen used to be.

By Susan Crawford on 09/07/2009 11:38 am