Chocolate phosphate, anyone? Soda fountains in pharmacies were popular gathering spots a century ago, and in some places they still are. The drinks come mixed with nostalgia. At Griffith and Feil Drug in Kenova, West Virginia, soda jerks still prepare old-fashioned phosphate drinks. Soda fountains were often in pharmacies because pharmacists mixed tonics meant to heal ailments. Now customers soak in the retro ambience. Soda-fountain owners say they're preserving a style of living and an attitude that was common in little towns across America. They're glad people can come share meals and stories rather than choosing the easy route of a fast-food drive-thru.
