Soda Fountain Pharmacy

TRANSCRIPT
Soda Fountain Pharmacy

NARRATOR:
In West Virginia, USA, there is a business that has been open since 1892: the Griffith and Feil Pharmacy. Walking inside feels like going back in time. There’s a jukebox playing old tunes, black and white photographs, and wooden furniture that has been there for decades. At the back, the pharmacists prepare medicine. At the front, there’s a restaurant… and something even more special.

The Griffith and Feil Pharmacy has one of the last old-style soda fountains in the country. A century ago, soda fountains were very popular. They were often inside pharmacies so people could enjoy a drink or snack while they waited for their medicine. They were also a place to meet friends and spend time together. But by the late 1950s, many pharmacies removed them to make more space for shelves of everyday goods. Later, small family-run stores couldn’t compete with malls and fast-food restaurants. Over time, soda fountains almost disappeared. Here at Griffith and Feil though, the tradition lives on. For many, it brings back memories of being young — and for others, it creates new ones.

SOUNDBITE - Malli Jarrett:
"The cool thing about working in a place like this is seeing all the surprised and amazed faces on the customers when they walk in and having them tell me stories about how they used to work here when they were younger and how much they enjoy seeing the stuff knowing that it’s the real stuff from back in the 1950s, 60s, and they are just so surprised at all the historical artifacts we have here and I love seeing the reaction when they get excited seeing all of this stuff."

NARRATOR:
When we keep places like this alive, we don’t just save old objects — we save the feelings, friendships, and memories that go with them.