Drug Store Soda Fountains Serve Favorites of Yesterday

Last December, I watched the classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life” for my first time (no, really!) and was particularly captivated by an early scene, where our protagonist meets his bride-to-be at the soda fountain. I found myself filled with what I figured was misplaced nostalgia, thinking to myself, Gosh, wouldn’t it be nice to sit somewhere on a Saturday, passing the time with a cheeseburger, a milkshake and a pleasant conversation, in between holiday shopping?

Good news — you can do that this Saturday. The Lowcountry is home to a handful of independent drug stores offering not only staff who knows you by name but also soda fountains brim-ming with all the beloved, yummy favorites you would hope for, plus the space to foster a real connection. Food is often a conduit for socializing, and what better kind of food than something our grandparents enjoyed at a local lunch counter?

Vincent’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain is the dream business of Damien Lamendola, named for his father, who would regularly take the kids to a place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, called Dearman’s. Located in Freshfields Village near Kiawah, Vincent’s is owned and operated by Damien, his wife Debbi and his daughter Courtney, who explained Damien wanted to “create an old-fashioned pharmacy and lunch counter, like every town in America used to have 60 years ago.”

Meanwhile, Guerin’s Pharmacy in Summerville calls to mind days longer ago than our parents and perhaps even grandparents can recall. Because this drug store has proudly served the community since 1871, locals have had the joy of introducing their loved ones for several generations to the same place they’ve known and loved.

If you’ve crossed the Ravenel bridge from Charleston into Mount Pleasant, residents and visitors alike love visiting Pitt Street Pharmacy, a mainstay in the quaint “downtown” area of iconic Old Village and a picturesque place to park the car and stroll sun-dap-pled streets. Pitt Street Pharmacy is the perfect spot to take a break, grab a bite and say “hi” to folks you might not see otherwise.

And, a little ways up Highway 17 North, Lee’s Inlet Apothecary in neighboring Murrells Inlet is another soda fountain run by a husband-and-wife team paying tribute to an earlier time period — namely, Southside Pharmacy, owned by Melissa’s father, Wilson Cain, and Wallace Lee’s Seafood, owned by Willie’s.

Menus at these old-fashioned drug stores are comforting and classic, with mainstays that inspire a meal with a friend or relative. At Vincent’s, for example, the menu that the family “tried to keep as true to original soda fountain offerings as possible,” offers goodies such as banana splits, ice cream sundaes, hot dogs, cheeseburgers and french fries.

And at Guerin’s, all age groups, from local high school students to grandparents, can stop in to share a malt or milkshake, along with heartfelt conversation. After lunch, you can often find families perusing what used to be known as “penny candy” — old-fashioned treats such as Mary Janes, Necco Wafers, Squirrel Nuts and more.

Even if you haven’t yet tried the tuna salad or chicken salad at Pitt Street Pharmacy, you’ve likely heard how good it is. We recommend the “Bosie” Tuna Salad sandwich (see recipe on next page) affectionately named for Rose “Bosie” Carter, a regular at the lunch counter for more than 25 years. Sure, you could try to replicate the recipe at home — consisting of tuna, Duke’s mayonnaise, eggs, celery and spices — but why not break bread and chat with friendly faces?

“We wanted the soda fountain to be a place where people could come enjoy the treats they remember from their childhood and pass them down to younger generations,” said Willie Lee, who said that sweet treats, including the famous egg creams, are consistently crowd pleasers. “Good, old-fashioned research helped us in shaping our menu,” he added.

Beyond tantalizing food, all these drug stores expressed the goal of providing a place where customers can put down a smartphone and mingle with a neighbor or two — a scarcity we all long for these days, whether or not we know it. While older relatives often talk about the “good ol’ days,” when a restau-rant was quite a different experience, those of us who have only known the digital era can also benefit from unplugging, maybe even more so.

“Culture continues to move in a direction where people are a number and not a name,” added Mel Healy, Melissa and Willie’s daughter, who helps run the business. “We absolutely feel that in this digital era, people are in need of a place to connect face to face. Our phones, while awesome for many things, can isolate and disconnect us if we are not intentional about seeking out in-person connection. It’s our hope that our little soda fountain counteracts those feelings of isolation.”

Support for independent soda fountains — or any business that fosters community— must be the work of not just the older crowd but multiple generations. All of these drug stores hope to continue meeting new, friendly faces and prove that bigger is not necessarily better.

“It’s definitely a labor of love for everyone who works [here.],” said Courtney Lamendola. Cathy, our soda fountain manager, runs the place like it’s her own! Seeing so many grand-parents bring their grandchildren in, summer after summer, to show them the type of place they visited when they were the same age has been the most rewarding part.”

By Denise K. James