Life Savers and Soda Fountains...
My earliest recollection of Life Savers involves my brother Richard. He was 17 when I was born and he ALWAYS had a roll of PEP O MINT or SPEAR O MINT Life Savers in his pocket when I was little. It was a small treat that I knew he would have at a moment’s notice.
Another great memory of those years is going to the Corner Drug Store for Ice Cream Sodas with my brother Richard. It was probably located on the corner of Germantown Avenue and Penn or Coulter Streets, a couple block walk from our house. We would sit at the counter of the soda fountain, and he always bought me a Chocolate Ice Cream Soda. There’s nothing better in the world than a Chocolate Ice Cream Soda. It’s just a fun memory. He probably gave me a PEP O MINT Life Saver on the walk back to our house.
Rolls of Life Savers have disappeared from the shelves in the stores. They just could not get the size of the scan label to read on the new handy dandy scanners! It’s probably too difficult to actually type in 50 cents, or probably now it would be $1 for the roll. It would mess up the precious inventory control, and Big Brother could not keep tabs on everything we are purchasing.
The sweet drug store with the wonderful soda fountain is long gone. I think it had disappeared by the time we moved from Germantown to Roxborough in the early 1960’s.
The world changes, places and things disappear, we move on…but the sweet memories remain.
Here’s some pictures I found online. Note the ingredients…including True Flavor. Wonder what that means? At least it does not contain Sorbitol!...And Made in the U.S.A. Don’t see that very often. If that factory was still open, there would be jobs in Port Chester, NY!
I also found this picture online. I forgot about all the yummy flavors. Butter Rum…Used to think you could get drunk eating them. Ate a whole package once to find out! And Choc O Mint. They were really good. 
Here’s a couple pictures I found online to reminesce about Soda Fountains long gone. I love the Coca cola machine. I remember having a play plastic one of them growing up. I’m sure it disappeared when I probably spilled coke all over the floor when “playing” with it. 
And last…A picture of the beloved Chocolate Ice Cream Soda. A good Chocolate Ice Cream Soda is very difficult to find. Real Ice cream, real soda, real chocolate syrup, real whipped cream, tall fancy glass. Perfect! 
Sadly, I found the following photo on Google Maps. It's a capture of the building that held the Ice Cream Soda Fountain where my brother used to take me in the 1950's. It's a far cry from that Happy Soda Fountain picture above-but I do remember it looking similar! At least you can see it was a little store front at one time. Not a happy photo! :-(
2 comments:
Hi Shirley - I am an old friend of Chris Haslinski Cleavland. I lived close to Germantown. You remember Dairy Maid. It was a beautiful store. It had a counter on one side as you walked in, another in the back and seating throughout. It sold candies, I believe mostly chocolate. I waitressed there over a summer. I also worked at Germantown Savings Bank on Germantown Avenue and Cugleys Pet shop on Chelten Avenue near the Orphium Movie Theater.I loved shopping in Germantown. Allen's Dept. Store, Rowells Dept. Store,
Woolworth's, etc.
Another soda fountain I used to go to was at Darrows Drug Store at Chelten and Morris Streets. The School Lane House had a nice ground floor luncheonette with wonderful fountain drinks and ice cream.
Did you ever go to Hassis Bakery on Queen Lane in Germantown? Sadly, it's not safe to walk around there in broad daylight.
Oh my gosh, I totally lost contact with Chris Haslinski and would love to hear how she is doing and where she is. Send me an email to shoobiev@gmail.com and we can keep in touch!
Yes, I remember going to the Orphium theater and shopping at Allen's and Rowells. We always shopped the sale racks. And LOVED Woolworths!
Do you remember John's Bargain store, I think it was on the same side of Germantown Ave as Woolworths. My mom loved that store, it was probably like the new dollar stores all over today.
Oh yes, Dairy Maid, I remember the name and the wonderful candy stores. One was Ashers Candies, I think.
Yes, Hassis bakery. I know my mom shopped there. Loved Pigs ears and Lemon Meringue pie! Oh my gosh you are bringing back some great memories. I feel another blog coming on...
I drove my daughter down Germantown Ave and up Bringhurst street about 10 years ago. So many changes and you are right, it's not a very safe place anymore.
Thanks so much for commenting and keep in touch. Tell Chris hi and send me an email if she gets a chance!
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