O’Donohue’s Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain opened Thursday at 111-113 N. Kickapoo St. in downtown Lincoln, Ill., reports the Lincoln Courier.
It sounds like the proprietors went all-out in creating a distinctive look:
The soda fountain is along one silvery, glistening side of the business’s two-part soda bar, the other, a repository for gallons of hard-serve, premium ice cream available by the scoop or in soda drinks or carryout.
About a third of the 37 seats are along the counter, the remainder is at chrome-ringed, black art-deco tables with matching chairs. Completing the scene is a black-and-white checkerboard floor.
Over the soda fountain and an adjacent African Ports business is freshly restored light gray tin ceiling with pewter highlights, something part-time employee Cathy O’Donohue said was one of the most time consuming parts of the months of preparation to ready the store for opening.
The soda fountain isn’t on Route 66; it’s a few blocks south of the nearest alignment. However, the business also will have a Route 66 Hot Dogs cart in front.
Use to live in Beason, miss all the things around there, like the coney dogs, from a cafe, around the corner from 5 and dime. Like down side street where bar on corner was, near movies. You all know where I mean, like early 60’s. Someday, I will be back to check this out, now in Massachusetts. Also remember fountain in Five and Dime, courthouse across street, and A & W Root Beer.