Almost 100 Years OId, Owl Drug keeps the Soda Fountain Flowing in Coleman

The heart of Owl Drug is—and has always been—the soda fountain. I learned this from my mother, who lived in Coleman when she was in elementary school in the 1950s. She fondly remembers going to the Owl for a soda fountain treat. She would sit on the vinyl barstools and watch the sweet concoctions being made by the soda jerk, as the person who made the ice cream sodas was called back in the day. Her favorite was the Black Cow—a chilled malt glass filled with shaved ice, milk, and chocolate syrup.

Fast-forward more than six decades, and Owl Drug has been updated but retains the same look and character of its early years. High shelves around the store hold nearly a century of memories in the vintage memorabilia donated by customers. Sodas, milkshakes, floats, and sundaes are still made the old-fashioned way, using syrups and hand mixers. The original Black Cow is still on the menu, along with the famous Owl Burger, which has been served since the very beginning. (Insider tip: If you correctly count all the owls in the store, you get a free Owl burger.)

Owner-operator Allen, who has worked at the store for 30 years, says the bestselling item on the menu is the Owlvis Burger, with grilled onions and bacon topped with their “secret sauce” that’s both spicy and sweet. It’s named in honor of Elvis Presley, whose lifelike statue in the store has been the star of many a visitor’s photo

During a COVID-19 lockdown, the pharmacy remained open while the store took advantage of a six-month closure to do some renovations, including the addition of a stunning antique bar that came from a shuttered pharmacy in North Carolina. Built in 1910, the large wooden piece is mirrored, with stained glass and lights, and has as its centerpiece Owl’s soda fountain. “The owner wanted it to continue to do its job,” Allen says.

As you’d expect, the kitchen staff, affectionately called the “Owlettes,” is a friendly group, treating every customer like family, whether they’re a first-time visitor or a local who comes in every week. One of Allen’s favorite parts of working at the Owl is seeing parents and grandparents bringing their kids back to share the experience they’d had as a child.

“The most used word we hear is ‘magical’ … taking so many back to a simpler, kinder time,” Allen says. “Our heart is in the Owl and we love our customers. We love the history, we love sharing the soda fountain experience with others.”