 | Faye Graves, a native Wichitan, attended school at Friends and Wichita State, concluding at Midwestern Theological Seminary. He has been active in media for many years with Channel 12, KIRL, KFDI, KOOO AM & FM (Omaha), KFRM & KICT 95, as an owner, manager, producer, director and announcer. He has served as President of the Haysville Board of Education. He has also served on several national boards of the Southern Baptist Convention. Faye currently serves as Executive Pastor and Director of Administration and Education at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka, Wichita. You may contact Faye by e-mail fmgraves@amenibc.org, or by phone at (316) 262-1452. |
Nostalgia
2009-04-01 14:39:00
Remember...
Question: Here’s a thought out of the old days…drugstores. Do you remember the drugstores of old?
Answer: I sure do. The drugstore was a staple in every neighborhood. Drugstores were the convenience stores of the time…one stop shopping…but they didn’t have gas pumps.
The drugstore would deliver nearly all their products and provided friendly service.
The owner generally was also the general manager and knew everyone in the neighborhood by name. Most drugstores featured a pharmacy with only one pharmacist. This person was usually the owner. During the early part of the 40’s, the neighborhood drugstore would not only fill your prescription but would also deliver it immediately, many times on a bicycle. Most drugstores carried what they called sundries such as cosmetics, watches, jewelry, toys, pocketknives, clocks and other items, much like today.
They would even deliver ice cream, hand-dipped, no matter how small the order.
Most drugstores had a soda fountain. The soda fountain was often a meeting place where friends could get together and visit or order something to eat. I guess the soda fountain is what I miss the most. It was a place in the store where you could order your favorite soft drink or ice cream delight and watch as it was put together for you.
Half the enjoyment was watching the “soda jerk.” He was very proficient at making any type concoction with ice cream or syrup and fresh fruit. Some soda fountain jerks were so good that they would throw a dip of ice cream into the air and catch it in a dish or malt can. That would delight the customers. Several of the drugstores I remember growing up in the south part of the city were Watts at Harry & Main operated by Marion Watt, the Epperson managed by Claude Epperson, Neil’s at Broadway & Harry, Dockums with locations all over the city, Gesslers and Holmes. You can still experience the neighborhood drugstore in a few towns in Kansas. We always stop in Chetopa, Kansas when in the area. There’s a drugstore that’ll bring back the memories.
