This Is What It Meant To Be A 'Soda Jerk' In The 1900s - Chowhound

Camerique/Getty Images In the early 1900s, the neighborhood pharmacy was the place to be. More than just medicine, pharmacies purveyed soft drinks and lots of ice cream. During the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, ice cream was a beloved treat; in the year 1938 alone, according to the New York Times, Americans consumed over 275 million gallons. Pharmacists were the most common sellers of this ice cream, and their soda…