Sunday, June 8, 2014

Coal Region Connections: Time for Ice Cream Memories

By Mark Marek, Coal Region Connections

TIME FOR ICE CREAM MEMORIES.

I recall the late afternoon & early evening Mr. Softee & Chilly Willy trucks well. Your heard the music from the trucks when they were a block away. Mr. Softee was my favorite because of the soft ice cream & their double cones pictured below.


You had your pick of corner stores to visit decades ago. In Coaldale we had Johnny Kidda, Tony's, Marian's, Sicenavage's, Henry's, & Ernie's to name a few. How many hometown stores can you name & did you have a favorite? Root beer, vanilla, & grape twinsicles were my favorites although I would never turn down a Heisler's chocolate dixie cup. How about creamsicles & fudgie wudgies--remember them?

Going to a drive-in or dairy bar was a special treat. After my dad cut grass at the Nesquehoning cemetary & my brother & I pumped water in the cans, we visited Coniglio's Stand (pictured below thanks to Wayne Fritzinger) for an ice cream. I also remember Walt's Drive-In & Kellet's Drive-in Hometown, The Big Chief Drive-in & Olympian Drive-in Jim Thorpe, Boulevard Drive-in Lehighton, Heisler's in the Lewistown Valley, Spring Dell Drive-in New Mahoning, & Luigi's/Mogish's Drive-in Coaldale. Most of those are gone now or are open under a different name. How many drive-ins can you name in your area?

Remember--going up most of us didn't have air conditioning to keep cool. Those ice cream treats & popsicles really took the edge off the heat. I remember when my mom got new Tupperware ice pop molds. They were economical & easy to make, but the real popsicles tasted much better--especially & vanilla & root beer pops.

Now it's your turn to COMMENT with your ice cream & popsicle memories. As always, thank you for your LIKES & SHARES.

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