The Service Drug Store on Brown Street in Graceville FL is a step into history. Of all the places I have visited, this is the only one that is truly untouched by time.

This drug store has been open since 1906. So it's one year older than Izzos in Thomasville, and one year younger than the soda fountain in Apalachacola.

All three of them started as Pharmacies, but only this one is still a farmacy, and has all of it's original displays. The soda fountain I am fairly sure is a Liquid Carbonics from about 1935. The covers of it's dipping wells are embossed with an art deco pattern. It's in amazing condition. The nice soda jerk made a proper ice cream soda for me, and two true shakes (ice cream, milk and SYRUP) for my wife and daughter. The floors are original and neatly patched from wear over time. The roof is a tin roof and the original fountain back-splash complete with stained glass is still there.

Clearly worth the trip for an experience that is almost unique at this point. To get there take I-10 to Chipely, go due north on 77. The road into town splits, Brown street is the right of the fork, the soda fountain is on the corner on your left.

While there, stop in the Falling Waters state park in Chipely,(due to construction the signs to the park are not up) there is a water fall there, the biggest in Florida, (depending on current it is sometimes dry) that falls 77 feet down into a sinkhole. It's amazing to see even dry.

Ray's is back open as of mid day Friday. Every day he's been trying to pass his inspections. He did everything the inspector the day before asked for, and then they found other issues (thursday's issue was the bathroom door did not close properly). Today was his last chance, and he passed. Way to go Ray.

http://neithermorenorless.blogspot.com/2011/05/rays-candy-store-at-113-a...

Click on all the day by day updates on this site. I love a shop where the whole neighborhood comes together to help a local business.

For Greg this week has been fun. Since Sunday my family and I have been enjoying spring break in Cedar Key. We've watched Dolphins, caught two fishes (Jane's first), and just relaxed. One of the high points of Cedar Key is the visit to my friends Peggy and Don's shop just off Cedar Key in Chiefland Florida called "Yum Yum's ice cream shoppe." It's a fun family run shop where Don runs a Do-Jo in a building behind the ice cream shop. They have three sizes of everything. The Yum, The Yum Yum and the Yum Yum Yum.

Very nice folks. They post photos of their customers on their walls, they cover them like tiles. If you go by, try and find the photo of my daughter Jane. It's fun, like playing "Where's Waldo" with photos.

The Bay Street soda fountain was not really on my to visit list. First, it is in Staten Island. For those of you who don't know, the only way to get there is by ferry, and unlike the rest of the city the best way to get around is by car.

I also was unsure if it was still in business.

Fate took a turn with this one. A very old friend of mine named Scott now lives in Staten Island and he's been trying to get up with me for about a year now. We have not really seen each other in 32 years. I ride the ferry, he picks me up and after an interesting parking situation we find the place.

The place opened around 1939, and is from what I can tell the last soda fountain standing in Staten Island. We see the sign on the door. Apparently it closed 10 months ago, but someone bought it, has restored it and will be opening it this coming weekend. Yup, not open yet.

So in poking around I raise the interest of someone inside. It's a friend of the owner who is helping with the renovations. He lets me in. They did a very good job. They still had the original 1940's Liquid Carbonic fountain, complete with ceramic syrup wells and matching original pumps. (I really wanted one of these, but they are impossible to find in good condition). There is was. We talked a bit about what was planned, and I'm happy to say that Staten Island is in good hands with the new owner. I wish him the world of luck and hope we get up on the phone some time soon.

It was very good to see Scott too (Hi Scott!)