James Gallery & Soda Fountain
Address:
2 Pennywise Lane
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Phone:
(860) 395-1406,(860) 395-1229
Description:
Once a pharmacy, the history behind the James Gallery and Soda Fountain is rivaled only by the creamy homemade ice cream served here. The historic soda fountain has and uses many of the original elements of the 1896 drug store including the soda fountain. Also original are the parlor stools with heart shaped backs, marble counters and cabinetry. The James Gallery was run by Miss Anna James, the first African-American woman to graduate from the Brooklyn School of Pharmacy and become a pharmacist in Connecticut. She ran the pharmacy from 1917-1977 after her brother-in-law joined the army and left her in charge. It has since changed hands many times but each owner has kept the intrinsic feel of the pharmacy and soda fountain alive.
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