WELLS – The Wells Drug soda fountain, the social center of Wells for 50 years, is still a hot spot for Wells residents today.

Thursday, March 22, 2001

WELLS – The Wells Drug soda fountain, the social center of Wells for 50 years, is still a hot spot for Wells residents today.

The monument to stainless steel looks much the same as it did when it was first installed, as evidenced by a 1950s photograph mounted on the wall near the cash register. The soda fountain has been a consistent presence in the community for at least 70 years, said Cindy Prange, longtime clerk and soda fountain attendant.

&uot;I was coming to this soda fountain when I was a little girl, and now my grandkids are coming. It’s a generational thing for lots of people around here,&uot; said Prange.

Ray Bidne, the town barber whose shop is just down the street, likes to stop in several times a day during slow periods.

&uot;I’ve been comin’ here for 40 years. I’m not alone either. There’s a lot of regulars who come in every day,&uot; Bidne said.

Kids are still attracted to the place, especially in the summer, Prange said. The drug store also employs a few teenagers to work the counter in the summer and on weekends.

During the week, though, the usual customer is stopping in for toast and coffee or juice. The old-fashioned flavored sodas and milkshakes are still popular, Prange said. The Schwan’s ice cream sundae, the same brand served for decades, is another favorite.

The soda fountain has eight original swivel stools, the original back mirror and many original fixtures, but a few things have changed. A new counter was installed a few years ago, and some of the equipment has quit working. For example, the mixers, coke dispensers and soda-water taps are in retirement. Finding someone to fix them or locating replacement parts is nearly impossible.

Even the original toaster is still used, but only one side still works.

&uot;Nobody make these things anymore,&uot; said Sue Braun, who splits duties behind the counter with Prange. &uot;They’re antiques now. We keep them around for show.&uot;

Prange has heard from reliable sources that the Wells Drug soda fountain is only one of five in the state that is still used for its original purpose. Owner Rick Mueller plans to preserve it as long as possible.

Wells-area residents wouldn’t have it any other way.

&uot;This is always the one place I stop when I come into town,&uot; said Hartwick Larson. &uot;For more than 60 years, that’s what I’ve done.&uot;