Soda fountain - The local soda fountain 1952 - Side by Side

by Mike Savad

Title

Soda fountain - The local soda fountain 1952 - Side by Side

Artist

Mike Savad

Medium

Photograph - Hand Colored Photo

Description

Hand colored photo from 1952
Original title: Bob's Spa. Bob, group
Photographer: Leon H. Abdalian
Location: 128 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA

Bob's Spa, at 128 South Street in Jamaica Plain, was just that. Founded in 1912 by Bartholomew Ristuccia, it served the neighborhood for 90 years before being passed on to the Fernandez family, who still operate it today. By the early 1950s, it was already a well-known fixture, a warm place in winter where regulars gathered after work, some still in aprons or overcoats, trading news over cherry cokes or lemon-lime rickeys mixed by hand.

In mid-20th-century New England, a "spa" wasn't for pampering, it was a neighborhood store with a soda fountain, a place to pick up a newspaper, grab a cold drink, and share a little conversation. These corner stores were small but vital community centers, woven into the daily rhythm of local life.

The term "spa" came from the idea of soda springs, a nod to refreshment. But places like Bob's offered more than drinks. They offered connection. Whether you stopped in for bread or stayed to chat at the counter, you were part of something. The store didn't just sell goods, it helped hold the neighborhood together.

Color notes:
Usually, I have a hard time finding elements in scenes like this, but I was able to find almost everything in here, even that little Merry go round. I think they shot this as it was an anniversary, and I think they freshly installed this soda fountain, as all the elements I found seem to come from 1950.

Uploaded

June 13th, 2025

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