Ice Cream for Dinner, Anyone?
Take a step back into the past. In the heart of historic downtown Pittsboro, located at 85 Hillsboro St., transport your taste buds to simpler times, with bursting flavors of both savory and sweet. Since 1997, S&T’s Soda Shoppe has been a neighborhood staple. With a deep-rooted history in North Carolina, dating back to the 1880s, they are still a local favorite today. We hope you saved room for dessert!
S&T’s Story
It all started in 1880, when three brothers, Thomas and William Culvert and George Pilkington, left Manchester, England for better work opportunities in America. In doing so, Thomas assumed a position as a Superior Court judge, William worked for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and George moved to Pittsboro to found its first drugstore and soda fountain. In those days, the North Carolina Pharmaceutical Society, of which George served terms as vice president and president, would hold meetings at the soda fountain.
What started as a small section of a larger store on the east side of Hillsboro Street, would soon expand to the current site of S&T’s Soda Shoppe operation, in the L. N. Womble building across the street in 1916. For more than 20 years, George ran his pharmacy and soda shop until his passing, the year the shop would become the Upchurch Soda Shoppe. For some time, the business had new owners and would move to a newer location.
Gene Oldham, the founder of S&T’s Soda Shoppe, purchased the building in which the soda shop was formerly housed, transforming it to its original glory. With the help of many Chatham County residents, the woodwork was restored, the furniture was refurbished and the soda shop was opening in October 1997, named after Gene’s sons, Steve and TJ. Today, the dream lives on, in the celebrations, in the many meals and the many happy, satisfied customers walking through S&T’s Soda Shoppe’s doors.
The Ice Cream:
Ice cream for dinner? We wouldn’t say no. If you’ve tried the funnel cake fries, the apple turnovers or any of the 32 flavors of ice cream, you know it’s pure bliss. Taking the less traditional route, try their sherbet, yogurt and low-fat options or share a banana split loaded with fruit, nuts, whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Current flavors include: banana pudding, bear claw brownie, birthday cake, black cherry, black walnut, bubble gum, butter pecan, cherry vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie dough, coffee, cookies ‘n cream, death by chocolate, mint chocolate chip, moose tracks, nutty coconut, orange pineapple, peaches ‘n cream, peanut buttercup, praline pecan, rainbow vanilla, rocky road, strawberry, strawberry cheesecake, vanilla bean, vanilla fudge sundae, rainbow sherbet, orange sherbet, low-fat double chocolate and low-fat/no sugar added toasted almond.
The Ice Cream:
We started with the ice cream, but there are no rules, right? Have your ice cream first, have your meal second. Serving up American classics for lunch and dinner, their menu includes a variety of hot dogs, sandwich melts, hamburgers, entrees, salads and sides. Split a chicken parmesan plate, a pimento cheese sandwich and a Clint’s Cheese Dog, rolled with cheesy goodness. For all occasions, for all palates, there is something on the menu!
See You There!
Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., there’s plenty of time to try all 32 flavors this week. Enjoy!