Converted Gas Station
A small town in the “lower part of the state” as we in the Piedmont used to say. The solid brick building was once a gas station. Usually there was a ‘cold box’ inside, right by the door, filled with soft drinks floating in icy water. We’d lift the lid and fish around for our favorite, maybe a Royal Crown Cola or a Cheerwine or my special choice, Orange Crush. Of course, there were six ounce Coca Colas in those hour-glass bottles. Cokes were so fizzy that I could barely drink the whole thing. That was then! Men and boys used to buy a nickel pack of salted peanuts, dump them down the neck of the coke bottle and drink and eat at the same time. Does anyone do that anymore?
Hot Summer Sun
As soon as I walked through the door of Woolworth’s, I’d smell the popcorn. I don’t remember wanting it, but I did like it. I wanted to sit at the counter and have lunch. Sometimes my mother would buy us a lettuce and tomato sandwich. I think it cost fifteen cents. I loved it. I’d sit and look at all the little signs over the counter. Pie a’la Mode is the one that caught my eye. It was a picture of a piece of apple pie with a slice of American cheese on top plus a scoop of ice cream. I never could get the idea of cheese, pie and ice cream but thought it might be something rich people ate.
The Lunch Counter at Woolworth’s
These were all fascinating but when did you take them? Is there still a Woolworth’s with a counter like that anywhere except maybe in the Smithsonian? One question: What is Cheerwine?
My second oldest boy (now 50 something) was about 3 and drinking an Orange Crush in my living room when he spilled it. Never, ever got that stain out of the carpet altho we tried lots of stuff. Fond memories. J.
I shot those a couple of years ago when we went to SC for vacation. I was looking for places that reminded me of when I was a girl growing up there. I didn’t find many. The Woolworth’s counter is in Asheville, NC. It now houses little ‘shops’ where artists show their work. You can still get food at the lunch counter but I doubt if they have lettuce and tomato sandwiches. No one eats that unless they have a few slices of bacon on it.
Cheerwine is like Dr. Pepper. I never drank one. My brother liked them but I never passed up a chance to get an Orange Crush. In those days they weren’t carbonated… a whole different taste.
The only thing to do for a carpet drenched with Orange Crush is a trip to Carpeteria!!
Rosemary