GREAT AMERICAN INSTITUTION

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 28 January 1933, Page 14

GREAT AMERICAN INSTITUTION

T HAD not been in the United States ■three days before they told me whenever I wanted to buy anything to itry a drug store. “You can get anything there,” they said, * ‘ from a tractor to a two-cent stamp.” I am unable, to vouch for the first part of their claim, for fortunately I haven't needed a tractor yet. All the same, I maintain that some of these drag stores are not all they are cracked up to be. I still remember the look given me by a drug istore clerk only last April in Butte, Montana, when I tried to purchase a simple, ordinary automobile jack, says q; -writer in the c 1 Alan Chester Guardian.” “Well, then” you ask, “.-just what can you get in drug stores?” I will tell you, so far as I can remember. Bet us take a downtown store in the throes of the noonday rush. As you probably know, the most important section of any American drug store is the soda fountain and lunch counter, "i ou see a long. counter running all the way down one side of the store and a large number of stools —X forget how man> —and not only is everj stool occupied, but there is a tidy crowd with a hungry look in- its eve standing around behind. They, too, want stools. You probably wonder w'hat the stool-occupiers are doing. A rapid census tells us that oyer 50 per cent, of them are drinking through a collection of malted milk shakes, coca colas, and ice-cream sodas of sundry flavours. Several are munching sandwiches', pineapple and cottagecheese salads, and pie-a-la-mode accompanied by the inevitable coffee, for .the Americans are a coffee-drinking nation, while not a few are consuming icecream sundaes banana splits, Lovers’ Delights, Roosevelt Specials, and the like. At the far -end may be seen a lone soup-eater. This is the busiest part of the drag store throughout the day, and for most of the night, too, for that matter. Here is where the money is made. ’ The next most important part ot.tne establishment is, perhaps, the cigar counter. Here may be purchased fortythree different brands of cigars, ten, or maybe eleven, brands of cigarettes, an assortment of fifty-cent pipes, and tobacco in many-hued cans. There is also a tempting display of five-eent candy bars and eighteen different kinds of

Visitor’s Impressions of Prug Store

chewing gum. Prom here we proceed round the other side of the weighing machine (correct weight stamped on card with your fortune on the other side) to the books and art department. This consists of an imposing array of novels by the more popular authors of the day, and a selection of neatlyframed pictures, selling for seventy-five cents or so. True love, sea, air and Vv'fid West stories are well represented, and twenty-two different Hollywood screen magazines. In addition to these is the usual group of best sellers, such as “Collier’s,” “Liberty,” “Life,” and “ 0<: inopolitan,” and specimens of that rather quaint type of humour which suddenly became so popular about a year ago ‘ 1 Sin,]/: 1 1 ek,” and ‘'Bunk.” Drug stores also frequently act. as information bureaux to. those who have got lost in the streets. of a town and want to find out where they are. In addition, they are useful to telephone from, and make ideal trysting places. “I’ll meet you in the drug store', corner cf .Fifth and Broadway,” one may tell the girl friend. And to such appointments you should always be on time, otherwise you may find yourself out of pocket to the extent of two- ice-cream sodas and a Manhattan Special. That, you might think, covers the activities of the modern drug store. But it is not quite all. I was in a downtown drug store one day last week buying an alarm clock, and I made a mental note of some of the “lines” they were carrying. I admit I can’t remember them all, but they included bathing caps, shoes and jewellery; cameras, stationery and permanent.waves; straw hats (if you arc a lady) to keep the sun off, watches and theatre tickets. Also golf balls, tennis balls, and electric radiators; fountain pens, poker chips, and electric toasters, as well a'smany, many other things I do not recall. Ah, there is something I had almost forgotten —the drug counter. I must say that no matter what sort of a drug store I have been in I have nearly always noticed a drag counter somewhere about. But, frankly, I would hardly care to buy my drugs there, and should certainly hesitate long before calling there with my doctor’s prescription. They might give me an ice-cream soda by mistake.