Though the building facade and drug store sign have changed over the years, the tenets of a great drug store are still in tact. An underwhelming atmosphere is made up for by a long tradition of great drinks and ice cream snacks, plus some of the friendliest service you’ll ever find at a soda fountain.
Beyond the traditional pops, sodas and sundaes, you’ll want to try their special salad sandwiches. Choose between homemade ham or chicken salad, served with a slice of lettuce on plain or toasted bread. Add a drink, and your lunch will run just over $5.
The small community of Sidney, Iowa, is home to the state’s oldest pharmacy. Located on the west side of the square, Penn Drug Co. has been in business for nearly 150 years.
Enter the front door and you’ll find perfumes and lotions behind glass on antique shelving lining the north wall. If you’re not stopping to fill a prescription, you can peruse the selection of Russell Stover chocolates, pick out a greeting card, or grab a seat at the old-fashioned soda fountain.
The entire soda fountain is charming, with surprisingly comfortable stools and a classy black marble counter. For under a dollar, you can enjoy one of their featured flavors of ice cream, while pops and phosphates are even cheaper.
A few miles outside of Muscatine, Iowa, is the Pine Creek Grist Mill, a unique attraction that allows visitors to see the inner-workings of a historic flour mill. The beautifully restored mill is over 150 years old and thought to be the oldest working mill between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.
Though it’s open to the public five days a week during the summer, you’ll get the most out of your visit by stopping on a Sunday afternoon. In addition to two scheduled mill demonstrations, the Melpine School – a restored one-room school house – is open for visitors between 1 and 4. The mill’s website has been revamped since we last visited and now features a video plus a bevy of information about the history (and future) of the revamped mill.
I love the retro soda sign that stands outside the Roadside Cafe in Fonda, Iowa. One side features an eighties Mountain Dew logo, while the other contains the Pepsi logo from the same era. The cool sign drew us in, but the quality food and service has drawn us back each time we’ve driven through town.
Sporting lime green booths and and a hodge-podge of country decor, the small cafe serves a variety of short-order entrees, ranging from the standard burgers and chicken strips to the less common smothered enchiladas and mini tacos. Everything we’ve tried, from the curly fries to the cheeseballs to the chicken salad sandwich, has been top-notch, especially in comparison to the average local eatery.
Service is noteworthy too; the waitstaff are friendly and food is prepared quickly and served promptly, making for an enjoyable all-around dining experience.
With temperatures continuing to inch upward and summer drawing near, it’s a great time to take a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator and check out the local shopping district that surrounds it in downtown Dubuque, Iowa.
At the top of the elevator is a nice observation deck, offering great views of downtown Dubuque and the neighboring states of Wisconsin and Illinois. The base of the elevator serves as an anchor to the Cable Car shopping district, which features a number of locally-owned shops, selling antiques, used books, pottery and much more.
The elevator has been labeled the “shortest, steepest scenic elevator in the world” and dates back to the late 1800s — though the current cars and gears were completely rebuilt in 1977. A couple of bucks will buy you a round trip pass (and charming ride) on the railroad, open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily between April and November.
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