When you picture “the old days” of drive-ins, diners and the beginning of rock and roll, you probably also picture an old-fashioned soda shop full of kids enjoying their hand-crafted treat in saddle shoes and poodle skirts. Soda shops are an iconic part of American history, but they’ve been around even longer than you probably realize.
Although the original soda fountain comes from Europe, they have been here in the states since the early 1800s. The first soda shop was opened by a Yale professor, Benjamin Sillman, in New Haven, Connecticut. He had so much success, he quickly had to buy a bigger apparatus and took on three partners who helped him open a soda shop in both New York City and Baltimore. Many advancements in the soda fountain and its ingredients continued throughout the years in order to meet the demands of its popularity.
The soda shop quickly became a place where neighbors and friends could gather to share a treat and maybe meet someone new. One particularly iconic part of the soda shop stood behind the bar, the soda jerk. This term came from the term soda clerk, but was given a friendly twist because of the jerking motion the server would use when operating the levers of the soda fountain. A soda jerk would start with flavored syrup then add carbonated water, and sometimes a scoop of ice cream or malt.
Here at Hole Lotta Doughnuts, we are lovers of tradition and carefully made treats. Along with our handmade doughnuts, we also serve the delicious, nostalgic sodas of yesteryear including Orangeade, cream soda, and Carolina’s own Cheerwhine. Come and try them for yourself at our doughnut and soda shop today.