 | 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
2010-02-01 08:42:00
Remember...
Answer: What a refreshing thought it was to read your question. I would love to share some thoughts. My first is, how great it was to crawl up on the stool of one of the old marble or slick wood finish soda fountains; or to get the gang together around one or two of the little spiral tables after school; or after a date at the movies. A drug store wasn’t a drug store without a soda fountain. It was the place to “hang out.” Then, there was always the intrigue of watching what we then called a “soda jerk” as he or she made a creation that we could hardly wait to dive into.
First, they would take out one of the large soda glasses…only the ones that had that certain shape. Next, out came the stainless steel, ice cream dipper. After pushing the lever for the flavor of syrup you desired, a small amount of carbonated water was added, along with just one dip of ice cream. These ingredients would be stirred together with a spoon. After this, more ice cream was dipped into the glass and more carbonated water until the glass was full. Whipped cream and a cherry on top completed the creation, hand-made right before our eyes. Everything, including the sundaes and Cokes, were all made by hand. First, the syrup, then the carbonated water and then ice. Your Coke was served in either of two sizes, the small Coke glass or the large one.
Of course, there were the Green Rivers, a drink long forgotten, along with the phosphates, limeades, black cows, thick malts and shakes…all of the creations from the old soda fountain where you would sit on the circular stools and enjoy your favorite concoction.
The drug store I remember best was Watts located on the corner of Harry and Main streets. Just two blocks east was Neal’s with the best comic book rack in town. Across town were the Dockum’s and Zonger’s and Holmes Drugs on W. 13th St., plus many more throughout the city.
We miss the old drug stores with that special smell of perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ice cream and toys which all blended together to make a shopping and gathering place for the whole neighborhood. Today, there is still a place or two where you can get a soda, malt, milk shake or sundae hand-made and from scratch, but it is becoming a lost art.
Nowadays the kids hang out in all kinds of places, but I don’t think any of them compare to the old drug stores. Of course that’s just me…ol’ long-in-the-tooth Faye. But they’re still a place where they can get together and talk…and that’s always good.
