San Diego, CA
Fizz & flavor: Downtown San Diego’s lost soda fountains
Before coffee chains and fast-casual counters defined everyday routines, soda fountains were part of the social fabric of downtown San Diego. Behind marble counters and rows of chrome stools, soda jerks worked quickly and precisely, mixing flavored syrups, carbonated water, and ice cream into drinks that were as much about experience as refreshment.
The work was part craft, part performance. Glasses clinked, syrup bottles lined mirrored shelves, and conversations unfolded across counters that served as informal gathering places for neighbors, students, and workers alike.
From the 1920s through the 1950s, soda fountains were woven into the rhythm of downtown life — stops between errands, after-school meeting spots, and casual places where people lingered over malts, sodas, and sundaes.
From pharmacy counters to social spaces
Soda fountains originated in late 19th-century pharmacies, where carbonated water and flavored syrups were first offered as refreshing tonics. Over time, these counters evolved beyond retail service and became informal social spaces embedded in everyday urban life.
By the early 20th century, soda fountains were common fixtures in downtown commercial corridors. They attracted families shopping in nearby stores, office workers on breaks, and teenagers gathering after school.
Historical references indicate that downtown San Diego included a range of soda fountain counters during this period, often operating inside drugstores, lunch counters, and small independent shops.
Downtown favorites and neighborhood counters
Among the establishments documented in historical references and city directory listings was United Soda Fountain, which opened in 1939 and became a steady downtown gathering place known for classic counter service, ice cream sodas, and milkshakes.
Wimer’s Soda Fountain is also referenced in historical accounts as part of the downtown dining landscape, reflecting the broader popularity of small, independently run soda counters that served regular customers by name.
Soda fountains were also commonly integrated into drugstores and neighborhood markets. The Ace Drug Store in Mission Hills, for example, is cited in historical references as a location where malts, egg creams, and simple lunch fare were served alongside pharmacy goods.
On Market Street, Gadson’s Store appears in 1920s and 1930s-era commercial records as part of the downtown retail corridor, combining general merchandise with a soda fountain counter typical of the era.
These establishments reflected a broader pattern in which food service and retail were closely intertwined, and where soda fountains functioned as informal neighborhood anchors.
The sights and sounds of the counter
What defined soda fountains was not just the menu, but the sensory experience.
There was the hiss of carbonation hitting flavored syrup, the rhythmic clink of glassware, and the visual display of colored bottles lined behind mirrored counters. Customers often sat shoulder to shoulder, watching drinks prepared in real time.
Menus typically included chocolate malts, root beer floats, phosphates, and ice cream sundaes topped with whipped cream and cherries. Many soda fountains also served simple food items such as sandwiches, chili, and light lunch plates.
Archival photographs from the San Diego History Center and other historical collections depict these spaces as active social environments, with soda jerks behind counters and customers gathered in close conversation.
The end of an era
By the late 1950s and into the 1960s, soda fountains began to decline as suburban expansion, automobile culture, and national fast-food chains reshaped dining habits across the country.
As retail patterns shifted, many independent drugstores and small lunch counters closed or removed their fountain service entirely. The social role once played by soda fountains gradually moved to diners, drive-ins, and later, chain restaurants.
What remains today are photographs, directory listings, and oral histories that preserve the memory of a downtown culture built around shared counters and informal gathering spaces.
Legacy
Though soda fountains have largely disappeared from the urban landscape, their influence remains visible in the continued popularity of ice cream shops, retro diners, and nostalgic soda-style beverages.
They represent a period in San Diego’s history when a simple drink was not just a transaction, but an invitation to pause, gather, and connect.
Read more history stories here; send an email to Debbiesklar@cox.net
Sources:
San Diego History Center Archives — photographic collections and historical materials documenting soda fountains and early downtown retail environments.
San Diego City Directories (1920s–1950s), San Diego Public Library Special Collections — business listings for drugstores, soda fountains, and lunch counters.
San Diego Union and Evening Tribune Archives (via Newspapers.com and California Digital Newspaper Collection) — advertisements, listings, and commercial references to soda fountains and drugstores.
Library of Congress — historic imagery and documentation of American soda fountains and pharmacy counters.
Smithsonian Institution — historical research on American soda fountains and early 20th-century consumer culture.
City of San Diego Planning Department historic context reports — retail and commercial development patterns in early and mid-century San Diego.
San Diego County will be the center of NASCAR nation this weekend, with fans flocking to Naval Base Coronado for three days of events.
This is the first-ever Cup race held in San Diego County and the NASCAR community is also presenting it as its way of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.
Tickets are completely sold out, but locals can still get in on the fun at various event and activities taking place across the region.
Here’s what to know about this one-of-a-kind weekend in San Diego. Full coverage of NASCAR San Diego Weekend can be found at sandiegouniontribune.com/tag/nascar.
What is NASCAR San Diego Weekend?
The three-day event begins with Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, continues with an O’Reilly Auto Parts series race on Saturday and wraps Sunday with the Anduril 250.
Grandstands with a capacity for 40,000 fans have been erected, with another 10,000 spectators expected to occupy standing areas around the grounds.
Here’s a turn-by-turn look at Naval Base Coronado’s race circuit
When is it taking place?
Parking lots, which are on base, open each day at 7 a.m. and gates open at 9 a.m.
The Craftsman Truck Series takes place Friday at 4 p.m. The O’Reilly Auto Parts series race blasts off at 2 p.m. Saturday. The main event, NASCAR Cup Series Race, happens Sunday at 1 p.m.
A race-by-race look at NASCAR’s San Diego Weekend
Each day will also feature entertainment, driver Q&As and other activities.
Where is it?
Naval Base Coronado will host the weekend’s activities. All fans in attendance must carry a valid government-issued photo ID at all times.
Going to this weekend’s NASCAR races in Coronado? Here’s what you need to know
All event parking will be located on Naval Base Coronado. There is no event parking available within the city of Coronado.
Who is racing?
Shane Van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, Mike McDowell, Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs are just a few of the names to expect this weekend. A full lineup can be found at nascarsandiego.com/nascar-san-diego-mission-lineup.
These 13 Cup racers could all win Sunday’s Anduril 250 in Coronado
How to watch on TV:
Craftsman Trucks Series race: 4 p.m. Friday on Fox Sports 1
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race: 2 p.m. Saturday on The CW
NASCAR Cup race: Sunday at 1 p.m. on Prime Video
Local events:
San Diegans have a range of options for getting in on the fun of NASCAR weekend in Coronado, including meet and greets with drivers, watch parties and fan zones.
Your guide to fan events during NASCAR San Diego Weekend
More coverage:
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Final preparations are underway for NASCAR’s historic race weekend at Naval Base Coronado, where stock cars will compete on an active military installation for the first time in the sport’s history.
Crews, race teams, military personnel, first responders and event staff spent Thursday putting the finishing touches on the temporary road course as thousands of fans prepare to descend on the base for the inaugural event.
“The countdown is on,” as organizers work to transform portions of the installation into a race venue unlike any NASCAR has hosted before.
“It’s a very proud moment for NASCAR and myself and my company for being part of it,” said Jordan Litchko, a NASCAR production partner with ignition production. “It’s the America 250, so what a year to celebrate and be here on the naval base.”
Officials say the event marks the first time a NASCAR national series race has been held on a military base, bringing one of America’s most recognizable motorsports directly onto a working military installation.
Unlike traditional oval tracks, competitors will tackle a temporary road course built specifically for the event.
“It’s a road course race, which adds way more excitement, so it’s going to be ultra challenging,” Litchko said.
Thursday’s preparations included long lines of team members, vendors, staff and emergency personnel picking up credentials and completing security and base access requirements ahead of race weekend.
Meanwhile, drivers and crews got their first close look at the unique layout, which winds through portions of the base and presents a challenge far different from a conventional speedway.
With large crowds expected throughout the weekend, organizers are encouraging fans to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Traffic delays are anticipated around Naval Base Coronado and nearby access points as spectators arrive for the event.
After months of planning and construction, the wait is nearly over.
On Friday, engines will roar to life aboard Naval Base Coronado, marking a milestone moment for NASCAR and creating a new chapter in the sport’s history. By the weekend’s end, fans will witness a race unlike any ever held before — stock cars competing on a military base in the heart of San Diego.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The City of San Diego is beginning to install 286 metered parking spaces this week in downtown San Ysidro in an effort to increase parking turnover, it was announced Thursday.
To develop the plan, city leaders worked with the San Ysidro business community. Revenue collected from the meters is reserved for transportation, parking and safety improvements in San Ysidro.
“Feeding parking meters feeds neighborhood repairs, and we can’t wait to get to work for the San Ysidro community,” said Naomi Chavez, interim director of the city’s Transportation Department. “This new parking zone will bring long overdue change that will help support local business activity and generate revenue that will be reinvested directly into improving neighborhood quality of life in San Ysidro.”
Crews began preparing the bases for the meters last week and installation work is expected to last through June. According to the city, these will be multi-space meter kiosks and drivers should be aware that they will need to go to the nearest kiosk to pay for parking since there won’t be a meter at each space.
Metered parking goes into effect on July 1 and will be enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. The parking rate is $2.50 an hour, with a maximum time limit of four hours.
City-led parking studies determined vehicles were parking on the streets of the neighborhood for hours or days at a time, making street parking for the area’s businesses scarce.
Drivers who customarily use free street parking when traveling across the border to Mexico are encouraged to use “one of the many paid off-street parking lots in the area,” a city statement read.
“The findings [of the parking study] clearly demonstrate the need for action. High parking occupancy on unregulated segments, along with data showing that 37% of vehicles exceed the existing two-hour limit and an average parking duration of over five hours, indicate that current conditions reduce turnover and limit access for local businesses and visitors,” wrote Alfredo Ripa, president of the San Ysidro Community Economic Development Corporation. “The proposed introduction of approximately 286 metered spaces, along with better signage, clearer designations and continued enforcement, represents a thoughtful and data-driven approach to improving parking availability and supporting economic activity in the community.”
Areas where the meter kiosks will be installed include:
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Border Village Road to Camino De La Plaza (both sides);
— Border Village Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard (north) to East San Ysidro Boulevard (south), (both sides);
— Front Street between Border Village Road to end of cul-de-sac (south side);
— Bolton Hall Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (south side);
— Louisiana Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to end of cul-de- sac (south side);
— Virginia Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (both sides); and
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Willow Road and East Park Avenue (south side).
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